Daily Express - 08.08.2019

56 Daily Express Thursday, August 08, 2019

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RUGBY LEAGUE

By Gareth Walker

undergoing spinal fusion

surgery.

“I did the same work

as pre-Augusta – chipped

and putted for nine holes.

“I learned a lot last

year about playing too

much. I pushed it hard. I

will never do that again.”

event in New Jersey – the

first tournament of the

revamped FedExCup

play-offs.

“I was getting stiff and

it is best to be smart

about it,” said the

43-year-old, who is in his

second full season since

tour spokesman said the

Dane had been banned

“pending the outcome of

legal proceedings”.

Meanwhile, Tiger

Woods blamed a bad back

for ending his pro-am

round early ahead of

today’s Northern Trust

player was arrested at

Heathrow after returning

from the St Jude event in

Memphis last week.

Olesen, 29, will appear

in court on August 21. A

RUGBY UNION: ENGLAND STAR’S FITNESS BATTLE

DAD WARNED ME I’D

NEVER PLAY AGAIN

Watson winning fight to figure in World Cup after injury hell

ANTHONY WATSON has revealed

how a stark warning that his career

could be over kick-started the

recovery which will see him shoot for

a World Cup spot on Sunday.

Watson is preparing to make his

international comeback against Wales

in a belated attempt to force Eddie

Jones’ hand 17 months since he tore

his Achilles tendon on his last England

appearance against Ireland.

After aggravating the injury four

months later in an innocuous incident

at a photoshoot to promote the NFL

and seeing little improvement during

the tedious rehabilitation process, the

Test Lion hit rock bottom.

He turned to his father Duncan,

whose own career at Saracens had

been cut short by a knee injury.

“I texted my dad saying

I was struggling with

something and he just

replied: ‘Mate, you’ve

got to get on with it

or you’ll never play

rugby again’,” said

Watson.

“You can

never hit more

home than that.

It’s so black and

white but it’s so

true. If you really

want to play

rugby again you

have got to do

everything you can

to get back playing

rugby again. You can’t

just sit and mope around.

That was a real kick up the

backside.

“It was slow progress I

guess. Over the 13 months

I’d say I had two or three

days where I was

particularly thinking:

‘This is a nightmare’, but

the quicker you can

snap out of those

moods and try to

focus on what you’re

trying to achieve

then the better you

are for it.”

Watson, 25,

would have

been a

certainty for

TAKING HIS

MEDICINE:

Watson shows

the strain at

England training

yesterday while,

right, starring

for the Lions

Japan when he was flying

high for the Lions in New

Zealand two years ago

but, after just three

games back for Bath at

the end of last season,

accepts his selection is

in the balance.

His sense of

uncertainty was

heightened three

weeks ago when, having

brought Watson back into

the England training

squad, Jones abruptly left

him out again and sent him to

Loughborough University for a

week instead to work with sprint

coach Jonas Dodoo.

“At first I was a bit sketchy – not

being with the lads was definitely

sketchy – but then I had it explained

to me why I was going up there

and what it was for, and it was

definitely the best thing that

could have happened,” he said.

“Everyone wants to know

the stats but I can safely say that

they’re close to what they were,

if not there. I’d definitely like to

improve still. That week I had with

Jonas away from camp was hugely

beneficial for me. I came back feeling a

lot better.”

Watson says his times in training

are almost back to where they were

pre-injury and he is ready to resume

where he left off for his country.

“First and foremost for me when

I was coming back from injury it was

just about getting back playing rugby

again. Full stop. Anywhere. Now I’m

back here, I just want to get involved

with the boys and hopefully play this

weekend,” he said.

“Every time you get an opportunity

to play for England, it’s a dream, so if

I play on Sunday, it will be awesome.”

By Neil Squires

WARRINGTON star Blake

Austin faces a battle to be fit for

the Challenge Cup final.

The Australian half-back

• among the front runners for
  the Steve Prescott Man of Steel
  award – suffered an ankle injury
  in Saturday’s controversial
  defeat at Catalans.
  He is out of tonight’s dress
  rehearsal with St Helens and is
  not expected to feature in next
  Friday’s crucial trip to Wigan.
  But Wolves coach Steve Price
  has not ruled him out of the
  August 24 Wembley showdown
  with Saints, and he will undergo
  intensive treatment over the
  next three weeks.
  Back rower Jack Hughes is
  also a doubt for the final after
  he played on despite a ruptured
  testicle in Perpignan, while
  winger Josh Charnley has had
  minor knee surgery.
  Price, below, said: “Blake has
  a sprain. It is one of those
  injuries where
  we will know
  more in the
  next couple
  of weeks.
  “Blake
  is the
  ultimate
  professional,
  he is meticulous
  in his preparation and will do
  everything to get back on the
  field as quickly as he can.
  “Jack was unbelievable – to
  play over 50 minutes with a
  ruptured testicle shows how
  much courage he’s got.
  “He was operated on that
  night, and is home safely and
  doing well. He’s still got to see a
  specialist but he’s one tough guy
  too. Charners had minor
  clean-up surgery to his knee and
  we will see how it goes over the
  next week or so.”
  Price will field 17-year-old
  duo Josh Thewlis and Riley Dean
  against the leaders with a handful
  of other key men unavailable.
  Saints coach Justin Holbrook,
  who will also make changes,
  admits the game is “awkward”
  for both clubs but still expects a
  full-blooded contest.
  Holbrook said: “With the
  number of players out from both
  sides it’s probably not going to
  be a true indication of the cup
  final – but once you kick off, you
  want to play well.”

Blake locked

in cup final

fitness race

AUSTIN: Battling sprained ankle

Main picture: DAVID ROGERS

GOLF

By Neil McLeman

THORBJORN OLESEN has

been suspended by the

European Tour after being

charged with sexual

assault, being drunk on

an aircraft and common

assault. The Ryder Cup

Olesen hit with a ban after sex assault charge

OLESEN: Tour

acted after arrest