Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MASTERING THE DELAY
Carbery goes back to school as he waits on return to action
JOEY Carbery has made peace with being ‘ready when I’m ready” to return to action.
Carbery, 25, hasn’t played for Munster or Ireland since he suffered a wrist injury against Ulster on January 3rd of last year, so he has been sidelined for just over 12 months at this stage.
The Reds no 10 has only played twice for the province since returning from the Rugby World Cup.
He underwent ankle surgery last spring in a bid to fully repair the damage caused in the World Cup warm-up against Italy, and although he was expected to return after the lockdown the New Zealand-born Athy man has had to stay patient.
To that end, the talented out-half has started a Masters degree as he works his way slowly but surely towards a long-awaited return.
“It was kind of tough at the start, we had an endgame in sight and then when we didn’t have that marker it was almost more of a disappointment,” Carbery said.
“So this is more relaxed, it’s kind of been, ‘I’m ready when I’m ready’ and it’s helped a lot.
“When you’re injured you might have a weekend off and you can go away for a weekend or something but I haven’t been able to do that so I’ve started some college and I’m doing a Masters.
“So I’ve been pretty busy with that and every day coming in here to help get back sooner.
“But college has been a great kind of distraction for me when I come out of here.”
At least he feels that some real progress is being made now.
“The last month or so I’ve tried to jump in with the backs as much as possible,” said Carbery.
“It kinda makes it a bit easier when you’re in a team environment, getting to all the meetings and just being in with the squad makes a huge difference mentally.
“It’s the only thing that’s really got me through this is looking to the end and just wanting to get back on the pitch.
“So I suppose staying in with the meetings and talking to the coaches helps a lot with that because you keep clued in and stay match sharp.
“Obviously you can’t physically do it, but mentally you can kind of prepare for the games coming up.
“That makes a big difference but then just wanting to get back on the pitch as well makes me very ambitious and motivated to get back.”