He’s spent seven frustrating weeks on the sidelines, but Western Force winger Luke Morahan counts himself as lucky.
Morahan feared his Super Rugby season was over after he snapped a tendon in his left hamstring during the team’s round-nine win against the Waratahs.
After scans revealed the tendon had retracted five centimetres, surgery was a realistic option.
But given Morahan didn’t have a history of hamstring issues, the Force decided to let the injury heal naturally, with the 24-year-old now set to return after next month’s Test window.
“I’ve had no setbacks and it’s healed really quickly,” Morahan said on Wednesday.
“Normally it’s a 12-16 week injury, and I’m looking to come back around the 11-week mark.
“Already I’m running pretty quickly and feeling good about it.
“The strength might just come back a bit slower. But I don’t feel any difference at the moment. Hopefully I get back to the speeds I was running before.”
Morahan won’t be the only key cog to return for the Force’s home clash with the Blues on June 28.
Flanker Chris Alcock, centre Solomoni Rasolea, lock Hugh McMeniman, scrumhalf Alby Mathewson and inside centre Kyle Godwin are also set to resume.
The Force currently sit in fourth place, and they can boost their chances of securing a home final with a win over the Crusaders in Friday night’s clash in Christchurch.
The Perth-based franchise have never beaten the Crusaders in New Zealand, and their hopes of victory suffered a blow this week when in-form No.8 Ben McCalman was ruled out with a head gash.
But after watching the Force secure a franchise-record eighth win of the season last week, Morahan is backing his teammates to cause an upset.
“I think it was snowing there at the start of the week, so it’s a bit cold,” Morahan said.
“But we’ve proven in any situation this year we can rise above it and do well.”
Morahan played five seasons at the Reds before crossing to the Force at the end of last year.
The one-Test Wallaby was part of Queensland’s squad that won the title in 2011, and he feels something special is now building at the Force.