Shanks on Road to Recovery

By Andrew Collins
August 22 2005

Cardiff Blues center, Tom Shanklin has revealed that he is making a full recovery following the knee injury that cut short his Lions tour. News of the 25-year old's return will be a massive boost for the Blues, who are currently looking short in midfeild with the new season kicking off in just 11 days.

The Wales and Lions star, who signed a 2 year extension to Blues contract at Christmas, said that the rehabillitation was going well,

"I've been doing a lot of swimming to strengthen it and I can't wait to start playing again,"

And Shanklin, bought from English side Saracens is relishing the prospect of playing his old side in October,

"We have my old club Saracens in our Powergen Cup group, there are about 10 of the players there that I played with so it will be great to get them down to Cardiff."

Shanklin also reveiled his excitment about taking on the Tri-Nations in Autumn with the Grand Slam Champions,

"The autumn internationals are also a mouth-watering prospect, with Wales playing the three big southern hemisphere sides."

Having scored against the All Blacks in last seasons Autumn with Wales, he admits that he is determined to catch the one that got away,

"We were unlucky last year to lose to New Zealand, if we beat them by one point this year I'll be happy."

With Jamie Robinson out until mid/late Septmber and Mark Sterchibina also unavailble until October, Cardiff only have Tristan Davies as an established centre. Options that Dai may use are that captain Rhys Williams could wear 13 or Lee Thomas could come in. But following an impressive 2-try debut, I  would like to see Jamie Roberts play outside Tristan for the season opener in Galway.

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In other news, the match beteen Connact and the Blues in Galway has been announced for Friday 2nd September. The Blues will not be able to feild any of their 3 Lions, but will have all the Welsh tourists available to them.