Blaney approaching his best after ankle injury

Bristol hooker David Blaney: 'I've worked hard to rehabilitate'

CHALLENGE CUP BRISTOL v TOULON: DAVID BLANEY knew how events would unfold but there was nothing he could do about it. His foot was trapped and although he desperately tried to free it, he knew it was a futile gambit. A split second later he heard the sharp crack that heralded a broken fibia and ankle and torn ligaments.

There was less than a minute left when Blaney suffered the damage in a Heineken Cup match between Bristol and Harlequins last December. Typically he was in excellent form at the time, having established himself as first-choice hooker following a move from Leinster.

He'd scored six tries in nine matches and earned a huge reputation, ousting England international Mark Regan and Kiwi Scott Linklater, who had played Super 14. The 29-year-old Irishman didn't play again that season. There was symmetry in the fact his return to the Bristol first team was when he came on for the final 20 minutes against Harlequins. Last Friday night he started for Bristol for the first time since his horrific injury - the team also included Peter Bracken and Kevin Maggs - a European Challenge Cup clash away to Montpellier. Bristol coach Richard Hill had elected to go with a largely second-string team on the assumption the French side would do the same. They didn't and Montpellier won 33-15.

Blaney was a candidate for man of the match honours. "It was a strange because we assumed they'd have a different team on the park but on a personal level, I was reasonably satisfied. I've worked hard to rehabilitate and have been very fortunate in some of the people that have helped me get back, particularly Penny Porter, who has swum for England.

"I wore extra long flippers to increase mobility in the ankle and used to do 40 lengths a day in the pool, five days a week. I spent a great deal of time in the gym working on my upper body . . ."

This weekend Bristol host Toulon - coach Tana Umaga has promised they will bring all their internationals, including Jerry Collins and Sonny Bill Williams, following humiliation at home to Northampton - but Blaney starts on the bench, a recognition of his lack of game-time rather than performance. "Mark Regan has been chosen to start but the coach has already told me I will be starting the next match against Llanelli."

He's enjoying his rugby and while his contract with Bristol is up at the season they're already trying to negotiate an extension.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times