King’s on comeback trail at OEs after ACL nightmare

BEN King has twice overcome career-threatening injuries in pursuit of the rugby career he loves.

Now the Exeter-born No.8 aims to repay the faith of Old Elthamians by winning promotion to the Championship.

Former Exeter University student King ruptured an ACL playing for Taunton in 2014, then suffered the same injury after joining OEs in 2015, costing him three years out and the chance to make it as a professional.

King, 24, told TRP: “My first injury wrote off my last year of university rugby at Exeter, which was tough because we had a chance of success and I’d been on the radar of Exeter Chiefs.

“Even if I hadn’t made it at Chiefs I was talking to Championship clubs, but after picking up my injury it all stopped.

“I played with Sam Skinner, who’s just been picked for Scotland, and Tom Lawday, who’s breaking through at Chiefs, but there was a time when I didn’t think I’d play again.

“Then I moved to London and met a lad who said if I fancied playing rugby again I could come down to OEs. I went down and did okay, but in my second game of pre-season away at Connacht I did the ACL again.”

King added: “That looked to be that really, but even though OEs had only known me for that preseason, (rugby director) Gavin Lach and coaches put all their cards on the table and said anything I needed, they’d give me.

“Our head physio, Trevor Keys, was unbelievable. He drove me on, convinced me I could recover and I came back last season.

“I’ve started every game this season and I’m so grateful for what the club has done. I’ve got a job at nearby Eltham College doing S&C and PE and whether you’re injured or fit, OEs always support you to improve.”

Whilst King’s Premiership dreams look remote, he said: “The plan is to play Championship here. We’ve started well so we must make sure we’re in the mix in March and then we can give promotion a crack.”