Kearney has learned to play a patient game

RUGBY: MAGNERS LEAGUE:ROB KEARNEY chooses his words carefully. He has watched the Irish fullback drama unfold throughout the Six Nations as his re-rigged left knee heals at a snail's pace after a cartilage refit. He has gotten over that. He has gotten over the Six Nations.

He has gotten over the frustration, the pain, the self-doubt that crept in. He has gotten over the phenomenal Isa Nacewa try last week from his favoured position and he has gotten over Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls and whoever else wants to have a run at 15. He has, he says, looked on “curiously.”

Kearney has been on a learning process as much as a healing one. He could train now. He could play next month. But he won’t. He has learned patience and how to accept advice. The Kearney that returns will be a different player, will look at himself and his career in a different light.

“Maybe I was in a place in my career where I was starting to take playing week in, week out for granted,” he says. “This six-months break has done me really good. My hunger levels are probably bigger than they have ever been. You’d be afraid to say it but sometimes you do take things a little bit for granted.

“On reflection that’s what I thought. You never think it at the time because your whole world is going a million miles an hour and it’s only when you are injured that your life goes on pause. That’s when you start to reflect on these things a bit more.”

It was last November when the knee gave way. Uncertainty entered the psyche of a pretty certain young athlete. The nature of the injury was different from the usual broken knees the doctors had seen and while the six months away from rugby was a stiff stretch, the doubt and equivocation over whether it could be fixed was a head-wrecker.

When all a player wants to be told is he will be alright to play again, Kearney’s initial prognosis fell short of total reassurance.

“Yeah, because of the nature of the injury it was quite serious,” he says. “Because it’s an injury that is still a little bit in the unknown area, not everyone is fully aware of the repercussions and the recovery process. Because of that ambiguity it was distressing at times. Hopefully I’m over the worst of it now and all those thoughts are long gone out of my head.”

The cartilage has grown back satisfactorily as a scope revealed back in February. He has kept fit as much as he can but weight loading the injured knee is a delicate process.

When he returns it could be to open arms and, cynical it may be, but the movement in the Ireland fullback position may have helped his cause.

“I don’t think that’s my place to say something like that,” he says. “I always knew that when I’d be out through injury or form or selection there would be quality players to step up. It was something I was aware of at the time that boys were going to come in. There’s lads there who have made no secret of that fact that they always wanted to play fullback as well, so . . . ”

As you did when you were on the wing?

“Exactly. That’s only normal. I knew there were people vying for that position, like there always is. I was watching as you say . . . curiously.”

Declan Kidney will pick an extended Ireland squad in the summer, which Kearney is certain to be part of. The World Cup and the four warm-up matches in August are targets.

Leinster’s current European ascendancy is out of mind. He could start playing in a few weeks’ time if he so desired. But that’s where Kearney has matured – 25-years-old is the new middle age.

“It’s fully realistic,” he says. “I could be back in May, I am told, if I want it. But the benefits of taking May, June and some of July off out-weigh greatly the prospect of coming back in May.

“As I say I could probably be back on the field playing now but we’ve just decided through my own thoughts and medical expertise that taking those extra two months would be more beneficial than coming back in May.”

The question in August is no longer his knee but his form.

More drama ahead.