Rocky Elsom takes first steps towards comeback

[travelling_gerry]

By Iain Payten
July 21, 2009 Rocky Elsom took the first steps towards a comeback on Monday, but the star flanker will need a miracle to return for the Wallabies' crucial tour of South Africa.

Sidelined with bone bruising in a knee since returning from Ireland seven weeks ago, Elsom jogged on Monday for the first time in soft sand at a Sunshine Coast beach.

A return from Elsom would be timely for Australia after they faded badly against the All Blacks at the breakdown in the Tri-Nations opener on Saturday, and with the battle-hardened Springboks forwards next up in Cape Town.

A second loss on August 8 would leave the Wallabies' Tri Nations hopes in serious peril.

Despite the temptation to rush the world-class No.6 back into the side, coach Robbie Deans is not prepared to risk further setbacks with Elsom unless he can prove his fitness before they fly out for South Africa on Friday week.

The Wallabies re-enter camp on Wednesday at Manly and trainers are not even scheduled to have Elsom resume field running until early next week.

The nature of Elsom's injury means he risks adding weeks, if not months, to his recuperation if a premature return aggravates the bruising. Elsom is desperate to get back into action but also understands the dangers.

"I'm keen to give it a crack. I haven't been able to do much at all so I'd have to get back running pretty quickly (to tour South Africa)," Elsom said.

"But the reality is I have got to be guided a bit by the doctors. The medical advice is you have to stay off to let it heal fully first. It's hard to put a time on it."

Chronic problems with bone-bruising can see an athlete require surgery to remove dying bone. Elsom suffered the injury and played on in the Heineken Cup playoffs for Leinster, and later in the Barbarians-England match, in which he scored a try.
His effort helped Leinster win the Heineken Cup.

A 24-man Australian squad will fly out to Cape Town, with Richard Brown (ankle) and Berrick Barnes (hip) the main injury concerns and will be assessed on Wednesday.

While South Africa looked strong in their series win over the British and Irish Lions, the Wallabies' hopes of staying alive in the Tri-Nations with a victory will be helped by the fact the Boks take on the All Blacks over the next two weekends.

Elsom believes Australia can bounce back from their Auckland loss.
"There's a lot of games. It's all there to be won, we've just got to get things going," he said.

Elsom also believes the Kiwis may struggle to counter the Boks' power up front.
"I think (the Springboks') pack is where their strength is going to be," he said.

"New Zealand might have some trouble in the lineout against them; they have struggled with South Africa in that area.

"The changes in the laws last year brought itback to even kilter but now the old laws are back.

"The breakdown work will be key."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-32464,00.html

[travelling_gerry]

Bret Harris | July 21, 2009
Article from: The Australian

WALLABIES blindside flanker Rocky Elsom is hoping against hope of making a shock comeback against the Springboks in the Tri Nations Test in Cape Town in three week's time.

Elsom has not played since aggravating a knee injury while appearing for the Barbarians against England at Twickenham at the end of May.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans believes Elsom is "highly unlikely'' to play against South Africa, but his nine-week rehabilitation period will be over by then.

The Wallabies certainly missed Elsom's physicality and aggression at the breakdown in their disappointing 22-16 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland last Saturday.

"Hopefully, the next game I'll be good,'' said Elsom, who will rejoin the Wallabies in Sydney on Wednesday.

"Robbie likes everyone to train before they play. I haven't started running yet. I've got to get a move on. I've got to start running and get into it.

"It's hard to tell how it is. It never felt bad, but it feels a hell of a lot better. I imagine it's coming to the end.''

As much as Deans would love to see Elsom wearing the gold number six jersey again, it is doubtful he will take him to South Africa for the one-off Test, even if Richard Brown was ruled out with an ankle injury.

Deans would be loathe to rush Elsom back and risk a reoccurrence of the injury.

While Brown has not sustained any break, he will be assessed on Wednesday by the Wallabies medical staff to determine whether the injury is more serious than a sprain.

If Brown is fit to travel to South Africa, Deans would probably only add two players - a back and a forward - to the 22-man squad that played in Auckland.

This would most likely be winger Peter Hynes, who was the emergency reserve in Auckland, and either prop Pek Cowan or flanker Matt Hodgson.

If Brown was ruled out, Hodgson could provide cover in the backrow and potentially start at blindside flanker.

But Deans will be keenly anticipating the day when Elsom does return. The Wallabies had targeted the battle of the breakdown as the key area in Auckland, but the All Blacks claimed victory at the tackle contest.

Meanwhile, Wallabies inside centre Berrick Barnes has been cleared of a hip injury.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html