Mental demons Pocock’s biggest challenge

Pocock won't play Super Rugby again this season. Source: Daniel Wilkins / News Corp Australia

INJURED Wallabies star David Pocock faces the greatest mental challenge of his career as he contemplates a second rehabilitation from knee surgery, Springboks great Schalk Burger says.

Pocock underwent a second knee surgery earlier this month after the same ligament he had reconstructed last year snapped in what looked to be an innocuous incident against Western Force in round three.

The Brumbies recruit missed the entirety of last season and faces a similar scenario for 2014 as he begins the long road back to top level yet again.

Having spent much of the last two seasons on the sidelines himself Burger is better placed than most to comment on Pocock's troubles and while he has little doubt his breakdown rival can return to Test rugby, the Springboks star says it's the mental demons that represent the greatest challenge.

"It's the biggest challenge I think. Obviously there's a big physical element but mentally it's taxing," Burger told Rugby HQ on Thursday night.

"Obviously it takes a while to get back to the level you were and I think the danger I've got and he's got is that we've got to be compared to what we were before, before our injuries.

"For me coming back the toughest part is just being (ready) mentally one and secondly, physically, just getting back to the level you were at.

"The game's not waiting, the game's moving on. And for me to miss out on two years of rugby was a massive step. So it's taking me a long time to get back to the level where I'm at now and even now people are still 50-50 as to whether I'm back or not."

Burger has been in outstanding form since his return to the Stormers line-up. Source: AFP

Burger was at the peak of his powers when a knee injury ended his 2012 season. He then picked up a calf strain early in 2013 which was later found to be connected to a cyst near his spine.

He then contracted bacterial meningitis which resulted in him being treated in isolation and had some people fearing the worst.

Burger said his first goal was to return to full health, and then a return to action followed.

"There was a certain stage where I was seriously ill," Burger says. But for me it was just to get quality of life back – just for me to be normal Schalk, as a social person, as a father, as a family man.

"And then after that obviously I got better and better, and then I thought I'm young enough let's give rugby a go and here I am trying to get back into some form."

Burger believes Pocock has the work ethic to handle the physical side of his rehab and that he could come back a better player than ever before.

"It's a long road, you wish it on no rugby player," he said.

"It's something part and parcel of the game but you hope the luck is on your side and you don't go through it. So for me, you know it was touch and go going either way and it's a long road back.

"But I've been fortunate to play a few games now and I'm sure David's young enough and has got a great work ethic to come back and be a better player than he was before.

"But look it's not going to be easy."

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