Leeds Rhinos winger Tom Briscoe is well down the road to recovery

LONG-TERM CASUALTY, Tom Briscoe, has given a positive update on his progress following major knee surgery.
Leeds Rhinos winger Tom Briscoe. PIC: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.comLeeds Rhinos winger Tom Briscoe. PIC: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
Leeds Rhinos winger Tom Briscoe. PIC: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

The Leeds Rhinos winger has not played since suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in a 44-0 win at Huddersfield Giants on August 2 last year.

He underwent a knee reconstruction and remains on the injury list ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Hull KR, but is now stepping up training and closing in on a return to action.

“It is coming on well,” Briscoe confirmed of his recovery.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I have started running now, the change of direction stuff is coming on and progressing and the intensity in getting better each week.

“I have done all the treadmill protocols and I’m out running on the field now.”

Briscoe is still not training alongside his team-mates, but that is the next step towards a comeback game.

“I’m not too sure yet when that will be,” he added.

“Hopefully over the next month. In the next few weeks I should be starting to do that, but probably not fully for a month or so yet.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Briscoe has not set a target for when he hopes to be back on the field.

He missed the final five games of last year, plus Rhinos’ Betfred Super League round-one defeat by Hull earlier this month, but insisted: “I am still keeping that open.

“I’ll wait until I get back in full training, see how that goes and then look.

“I don’t want to set my sights on something and things not go to plan.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Work in the gym has allowed Briscoe to maintain his overall fitness and he has also been doing some skills in training.

“I’ve been doing some passing, but other than that it is pretty limited,” he reported.

“Most of my work is gym based at the moment and I’ll progress over the next few weeks into more on the field.

“Obviously you have your down days when it gets on top of you but, on the whole, it’s going well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It is just one of those things that takes time, ticking boxes. It has been six months now and we said six to nine, so a couple more months and, hopefully, I should be there or thereabouts.”

Briscoe observed from the sidelines when Rhinos lost their opening game of the season against his former club, Hull.

“It is tough watching,” he said. “You can’t do anything, it is hard, but I will be there supporting the boys week-in, week-out and doing my bit. The Hull game was a disappointing way to start the season, but it is one game, the first game of the year.

“We are fully confident and we’ve trained hard enough to, hopefully, put that down to a blip and get back on with our season now. It’s unfortunate last week [against Huddersfield] was cancelled.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“That would have been good for us to get a performance in, but we had to wait and that’s just how it goes. Everyone’s still excited and wanting to go again. Everyone wants to prove last week was just a one-off and we will go again on Friday.”