Posted on Nov 25, 2010 in Rugby News
London Welsh centre Paul Mackey is well on the road to recovery and now can’t wait to get back into the thick of the action.
More than two months on from suffering a knee ligament tear during the Exiles’ 21-10 win against Plymouth Albion at Brickfields, Mackey is on the comeback trail and a return to first team action can’t come soon enough.
And if he needed any extra motivation, then the visit of Swansea – the club he joined straight from school – to Old Deer Park next month in the British & Irish Cup, is definitely it.
“When I originally went to see the specialist I got the impression I’d be back closer to January, and the thing I was most disappointed about was the potential of missing the Swansea game,” said Mackey.
“It’s been really hard because you get to a point where you are training at different times from the rest of the boys, because you can’t do what the full team is doing.
“So you find yourself in the gym either with another injured player or on your own with the fitness coaches. Lucinda’s [Deekes – London Welsh physio] been unbelievable; she’s the one taking me for the gym sessions.
“But it’s difficult because you’re in either before or after the first team and they’re all chatting about the weekend, and that’s what I really miss, being part of the squad.
“I don’t attend any meetings or analysis; it’s all a matter of getting back as quick as I can.”
It was during his first start of the season for Welsh against Plymouth on September 18 that Mackey picked up the injury, which came in the build up to Errie Claassens’ 53rd minute try to help the Exiles set up a winning lead.
“All I remember is I’ve gone in to secure the ruck and I’ve planted my foot. But someone’s come in and taken me out from the side and my knee’s gone one way and my foot’s stayed in the same place, and I’ve heard this horrible tear,” he said.
“It was over in a flash but the pain was excruciating – it was a horrible feeling. I knew straight away that it was a serious injury.
“I’d done enough in the game prior and in training the week leading up to Plymouth to be worthy of a start, but sods law I pick up a nasty knee injury.”
The most serious injury so far in the career of the centre who joined Welsh from the Scarlets. Now in his fourth season at Old Deer Park, Mackey has racked up 79 league appearances for the Exiles as well as scoring 12 tries.
Restricted for the first six weeks after the injury to just upper body work in the gym, Mackey’s days are all about getting back into action as soon as possible.
That means a daily diet of weights in morning followed by fitness work in the afternoon and all geared towards getting his fitness levels back up.
“Now it’s all a matter of getting both knees strong, getting the muscle back on my quads, which I’ve lost due to not training, and fitness every day, so that when I come back I’m not completely unfit,” said Mackey.
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