Luckless Beck determined to put his injury nightmares behind him
ASHLEY Beck has been in the casualty room for so long, he’s even getting stick from his own team-mates for turning up to training.
For sure, the injury-plagued centre could give his Ospreys colleague Dan Lydiate a run for his money for the tag of Welsh rugby’s unluckiest player.
In the last few years there have been hip, groin, ankle and a serious knee injury to contend with.
So when he damaged a shoulder in pre-season, an issue that required surgery and potentially four months on the sidelines, you could forgive Beck for wondering if Lady Luck would ever pay a visit.
He managed to return to action at the end of October and has been stringing together an impressive run of games of late, starting in all three Guinness PRO14 derbies over the festive season.
And in the victory over Cardiff Blues last time out there were signs of the Neath-born playmaker returning to the kind of form that made him one of the outstanding midfield prospects in Welsh rugby when he first burst onto the scene.
“It’s probably the best I’ve felt since I’ve come back,” admitted Beck, ahead of tonight’s mouthwatering Champions Cup clash with Saracens in Swansea (7.45).
“Through the years I’ve had a lot of injuries but the last three or four weeks has been one of the first time I’ve trained in every session.
“I’m getting some stick from the boys because they’re not used to seeing me, but it’s good to be out there training. I’m still only 27 and I want to get better but I can only get better by being able to train.”
Beck won the last of his seven caps in a November international against Tonga five years ago and a strong performance against the defending European champions could at least give Warren Gatland a timely reminder of his talents before the New Zealander names his Six Nations squad on Tuesday.
Beck’s lack of regular rugby makes him an outsider for a return to national duty, but as Wales look to evolve their attacking game, there aren’t many others in Welsh rugby blessed with the silky running and distribution skills of the 27-year-old.
Unsurprisingly, Beck distanced himself from the inevitable question of international rugby during the Ospreys’ media briefing at their Llandarcy base this week, preferring to focus on getting more valuable