Barely 12 months after Kane Douglas' left knee buckled, leaving him sprawling on the Twickenham Stadium turf with an ACL injury which looked set to ruin his 2016 campaign, the hardy lock has set his sights in reclaiming his Wallaby role.
It was a sudden and painful fall from grace for Douglas, whose injury, suffered early in last year's World Cup final defeat to New Zealand destroyed his Super Rugby campaign with the Reds and allowed others to get the jump on him for the second-row spot.
Douglas returned for the Reds' final three matches of the season, and watched on as towering young locks Rory Arnold and Adam Coleman debuted during the whitewash series defeat to England in June.
"I've been out most of this season so it's been trying to find some form again and those boys have been in some form," Douglas said.
"I'm always working, always trying to improve and get better as a rugby player.
"There's been a heap of little things but it's just about getting that game fitness and getting back out there on the park."
Now, having fully recovered and played in six of 13 Wallabies Tests this year, Douglas is ready to reclaim the spot he strengthened his grip on during the World Cup.
And, in a cruel twist of fate, it is injury which has intervened to give him that chance - after Arnold and Coleman had stolen the spotlight to start the Spring Tour.
Coleman flew home last week with a medial ligament strain suffered early in the win over Scotland.
His exit - along with coach Michael Cheika's plan to give players with heavier workloads a break against France - gave Douglas his first start since September on Saturday.
And while Rob Simmons is favoured to assume Coleman's lineout-calling responsibilities as well as the No.5 jersey, Douglas wants to cement a place on the bench for the final two grand slam hurdles of the Spring Tour against Ireland and England.
"There's still a fight for positions. I will try to put my best foot forward," Douglas said.
"In reviewing my game I've still got lots to work on and I think I was stopping and taking a few too many breaths on the weekend.
"I just need to keep going. It was just good to get back out there."
Share
