Jack Singleton Nears Return to Training After Cardiac Event — But Gloucester Will Not Retain Him
Jack Singleton is approaching the end of his rehabilitation programme almost a year after suffering a cardiac event during a Gloucester training session, but the club has confirmed he will not be contracted for the 2026-27 season (BBC Sport).
The 30-year-old hooker — the front-row forward who throws into the lineout — has not played since the incident in September 2025. He has spent the intervening months working through a comprehensive period of medical testing alongside cardiac specialists, supported throughout by Gloucester's medical team (Gloucester Rugby).
Gloucester stated that Singleton can now consider a return to full training, subject to the successful completion of his rehabilitation programme (BBC Sport). Head coach George Skivington praised the club's medical department for their handling of the recovery, and the team's medics were credited at the time with spotting the heart condition (BBC Gloucestershire).
For Singleton, the path back has been long and unfamiliar. A cardiac event is not the kind of injury a player rehabbed a dozen times before. It required patience, specialist oversight and a club willing to prioritise his health above all else.
Singleton joined Gloucester from Saracens in 2020 and made 75 appearances for the club. His career has tested his resilience before: a serious leg injury sidelined him for almost 12 months, during which he spent a short-term spell with French side Toulon in 2023 (BBC Sport). On the international stage, he earned seven caps for England, the most recent coming in November 2022.
The confirmation that Gloucester will not retain him for next season means Singleton faces a crossroads. He is close to being cleared to train again, but he will need to find a new club willing to contract a player returning from the most serious of lay-offs. Whether any suitors emerge is, at this stage, a matter of speculation.
What is not in question is the medical outcome. Singleton is nearing the end of a carefully managed recovery, guided by specialists, and he has a green light to consider full training once the programme concludes. The rugby is the easy part — getting back onto a pitch will follow from there.
