Ollie Chessum's miraculous recovery from an ankle injury was one of the rare highlights in English rugby this year. Credit: Getty Images/Dan Mullan
In the dank gloom of last year for English rugby, there were few beams of light, but Ollie Chessum's recovery from a sprained ankle fracture is definitely one of them.
Second row « Leicester Tigers were flying in the Six Nations ahead of the March 18 final in Ireland at the Aviva Stadium when he suffered what he calls a horrific injury on the training ground. «I got a tackle from behind and caught my foot,» Chessum said. “At first I just thought I rolled, but when I rolled over and the guys were around me, I saw them all turn away, and then I realized that I should probably take a quick look — and my foot was not where it is. was. should have been.
After the initial shock and the dizzying effect of the Pentrox painkiller subsided, Chessum's thoughts turned to the World Championships, five months away. «When I first got injured, one of the first things I said to Fred [Steward] was, 'This could be my World Cup,' and obviously he said, 'Don't think like that,'» Chessum said. “But at the time I was very emotional. When Steve [Bortwick] came [to the hospital], that's when it dawned on me that I wouldn't be playing rugby for at least the next few months. And it is obvious that the appearance of this event on the horizon has made everything even more tense, I suppose. When I first did it, it was an elephant in the room, but now it's all right.”
The surgeons told him that the best scenario would be to recover within four to five months without any setbacks, but he was fully aware of players who took seven to nine months to recover from a similar injury. England physiotherapist Rob Parkinson devised a plan for Chessum's comeback, and sprint coach Jonas Dodu effectively taught him how to run again with what looked like an alien ankle that he still had to spend 30 minutes preparing for before each workout.
Ollie Chessum's ankle still requires 30 minutes of «prep work». before training or match
Rehab is like purgatory for many players, but Chessum's stoic attitude has helped him navigate the ups and downs on his road to recovery. «It's great to see progress, from the first day my ankle was fully restored but not functioning at all, to I believe the progress has been really satisfying too,» Chessum said. “But there were days when I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to do it, or you start to worry if it will ever work the way it used to? But that's just part of the story.»
Chessum was able to start running 10 weeks ago, hitting top speed three weeks later, and started training again ahead of the first warm-up game against Wales. In an amusing twist of fate, Chessum returned against the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, where he had tears in his eyes during the anthems.
“I was very nervous before the game and I was very emotional. Usually I'm not so emotional, but when you get injured, there is a lot of uncertainty, especially five months before the World Cup,» said Chessum. «There were times when I didn't think I'd be in shape and ready for the game, so it was an emotional day, and then I was lucky to see my mom there and I caught up with her after the game.»
It still took a certain leap of faith for Borthwick to pick Chessum after such a long hiatus. However, Chessum has made a big impression on Borthwick since he first saw him on loan at Nottingham. “I saw this guy run as fast as he could and ravage everything he had without holding back. I immediately thought, «There's something special about this guy,» said Borthwick.
Chessum had a great game «Six Nations». before he injured his ankle. Photo: Reuters/Paul Childs
Chessum originally played in the back row and played in the second row, has now switched roles but still retains a strong engine despite going up to 122 kg (19th 3 lb) from 118 kg during the Six Nations. when he was in such great shape. Now his mission is to reach those heights again.
«I realize how lucky I was to have been chosen as I haven't played rugby for six months,» Chessum said. “There are some great players in this country who could easily be preferred to me. I am very lucky that the coaches believed in me and I cannot thank them enough for the support they have given me over the past few months.
“As for me, I enjoyed the Six Nations game, it was the first time I felt I had an impact on the team. I played last season but felt like a small fish in a very big pond. I'm still very happy with him, but at least in the Six Nations, I feel like I have an impact on the team and I can bring my game to the team, and the injury definitely put an end to that. I hope to pick up where I left off.”
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