Clyde Rathbone's road to redemption
Clyde Rathbone's road to redemption
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...006067,00.html
AUSTRALIAN rugby's forgotten star Clyde Rathbone feared his career was finished while plagued with injury for almost two years.
But on the verge of making his long-awaited comeback for the Brumbies this weekend, the former Wallabies winger has revealed how the distractions of a "real job" helped keep him sane and on course for a return the top level.
Rathbone hasn't played for the ACT since March 2007, when he injured his knee against the Lions in South Africa.
http://twf.com.au/picture.php?albumid=39&pictureid=344
Clyde Rathbone at Easts, Shute Shield 2008
In a drawn-out recovery, several setbacks saw him miss the rest of the season, the 2007 World Cup and after finally going under the knife on a torn patella tendon, the 2008 Super 14 as well.
After a few club games last year, an excited Rathbone will play off the bench for the Brumbies in a trial against the Hurricanes on Friday.
"I did question whether I would make it back to be honest," Rathbone said.
"You look at the research, and sometimes it is just better to not pay much attention to the stats and the surgeons and those things because they paint a pretty bleak picture."
Rathbone, 27, kept his sanity during his recovery by running a corporate health business in Canberra with wife Carrie called Health Futures. Living "two lives", each morning he would complete his rehab work before heading into the office for a full day's work.
"The main thing is having something different to focus on, something away from football. You are going to heal or not, it is beyond your control," Rathbone said.
"As soon as I left the gym I switched off and just got stuck into my business. My mind was off rugby and the injury, and without that there I would have been climbing the walls.
"That's my advice to guys who get long-term injuries. Find alternatives to just focusing on rugby."
Asked about adding to his 26 Wallabies Test caps - his last was in 2006 - Rathbone says his rehab also provided a pertinent second skill: baby steps.
"The thing you learn is to accept short-term goals and almost daily things you need to work on. For me it is a case of playing well for the Brumbies, staying injury-free and seeing what happens," he said.
