News

Honest Rathbone on his way back

Friday 29th August 2008

Coming back: Rathbone is on his way back from injury

Wallaby back Clyde Rathbone has revealed how he was effectively "playing on one leg" during the 2005-6 season, and should not have been playing for Australia.

As Rathbone makes his way back after surgery to fix a torn patella tendon in his left knee he has rued his decision to play injured in the first place.

The wing made himself available for selection when other backs were out injured, which only served to aggravate his own knee injury.

But now Rathbone is on the road to recovery, as he looks to re-ignite his own international career. His first step was scoring a hat-trick for club side Eastern Suburbs last week.

Rathbone himself has predicted he will make it back to the highest level, but questions will still remain as to why he failed to kick on after a fine debut season with the Wallabies back in 2004.

He suffered an injury to his knee during a Super 12 match between the Brumbies and the Blues in 2005 and it progressively deteriorated to the point he could not place any weight on it.

"I genuinely could not walk down a flight of stairs after games, I was playing on one leg - there was absolutely no way I could step off my left leg," Rathbone told Rugby Heaven.

"I was honestly surprised I was getting selected [for Australia]. I think I was getting selected on reputation, not form."

The 27-year-old, who has 26 caps to his name, conceded he is as much to blame as coaches and selectors.

"I think players need to take far more ownership of their injuries and the management of them," he said.

"I should have been resting my knee but I made myself available during the 2005 Tri-Nations.

"At that time Stirlo [Stirling Mortlock] got injured, [Chris] Latham got injured and Elton Flatley suffered his head knock so they told me they needed me. I knew my body wasn't right but I knew the team was struggling.

"I thought I would just have a bench spot and play a few minutes but I was starting every game."

Hardly surprisingly the extra work took its toll on Rathbone and he was forced to withdraw from the end of season tour to Europe. He did return the following season but was unable to find the form of old.

In his second Test he scored a hat-trick against England and then in the Tri-Nations a match-winning try against South Africa - the country where he was born and which he captained to victory in the U21 World Cup in 2002.

"When you look at it, if you are physically in good shape then you should be improving each season, but that hasn't happened with my career," he added.

"I never kicked on from my good debut season. I know that when I am in good shape and fit I play well and I keep improving.

"Every time I have not played well it has been because I have been carrying an injury."

The injury, and subsequent lay-off from rugby, allowed Rathbone to head a company advising corporations on how to better manage staff health. But now the focus is on his own recovery as he aims to win back a Wallaby shirt again.

"There is a lot of trial and error, you try some things and they don't work, others do," he said.

"I am feeling really good, I am managing my knee so I don't bang myself up during the week and by Saturday it's no good. Intensity has never been a problem, it's about managing the workload."