Stephen Ferris confident he will be ready for Ireland’s pre-World Cup matches: Rugby news
Ireland’s rugby union player and injured Irish international flanker, Stephen Ferris, has expressed his confidence that he will attain full fitness before the start of the pre-World Cup matches. Ferris, who sustained a knee injury mid-way through the 2010/11
season, did not play in Ireland’s 2011 Six Nations campaign.
Ferris provided updates on his injury and recovery process on Sunday, July 24. Commenting on his return to the national side, he added, “I've had some dark days but hopefully I'll be back in action in the next two to three weeks and will be involved in some
Ireland games.”
The 25-year-old Ferris has progressed his way up through Ulster’s development program. Besides playing for the local amateur clubs, Ferris graduated from Ulster’s Academy to earn his first professional senior club contract with Ulster Rugby in 2005.
Since his debut for the club against Borders in 2005, Ferris has played 85 games for Ulster in domestic and European competitions. He has also scored 45 points for the club, during his stay so far. The knee injury has restricted him from featuring for Ulster
in the second-half of their 2010/11 season campaign.
Earlier this year, Ferris underwent a surgery on his knee and this was his third operation to his knee in his short career so far. He added that he has been working hard to regain fitness. He said, “There is more work involved in getting fit again after
injury than there is when you are fit as every day involves rehab and physio.”
Providing updates on his rehabilitation, Ferris confirmed that earlier he was only running on the treadmill, however, now he is running on the field. He added that he is not having any serious problems with his running on ground and his body is adjusting
well to the field environment.
Ferris’ availability for Ireland gives their 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) preparations a major boost. Ferris will face a tough competition for a place in the 2011 RWC final squad from the Sean O’Brien, following his impressive performance earlier in the season.
Ferris made his international debut for Ireland in November 2006, against the Pacific Islanders. He has so far played 24 matches, which include starting for Ireland on 20 occasions. However, he is yet to make his debut in Rugby’s showpiece tournament, RWC.
Ferris expressed his desire to deliver a strong performance in Ireland’s pre-World Cup matches to earn his selection in Declan Kidney’s 2011 RWC 30-man squad. The final date for announcing the finalised 30-man squad is August 22.
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