Olly Morgan gives his career one more shot

Olly Morgan is making a final attempt to save his career and avoid joining a long list of international players forced to quit over the last 12 months.
While Gloucester fear the worst, their courageous former England full-back refuses to abandon hope at the age of 27 of a comeback after an 18-month fight to show he still has a future.
Morgan has not played since a shattering knee injury against Worcester in January 2012.   Complications resulted in a series of operations, prompting Gloucester to send him across the Atlantic to the Vermont clinic run by the renowned knee expert Bill Knowles.
The American, who has helped Tiger Woods and Jonny Wilkinson recover from knee injuries, worked with Morgan for a fortnight before the end of the domestic season. Plans for a return at the Premiership Sevens in August have proved ambitious but Morgan is not one for quitting, at least not yet.
“I’m looking forward to training with the lads,” he said. “If pre-season goes well, then I hope to be playing again. That’s the plan.”
Gloucester know the next fortnight will be crucial for a player who made his first-team debut at Kingsholm as a teenager. After a winning debut for England against Scotland at Twickenham in February 2007, Morgan lined up at Croke Park later that month only to be helped off after half an hour with a dislocated shoulder.
Three other members of the England team hammered that day in Dublin were also forced to truncate their careers – Harry Ellis, Andy Farrell and Lee Mears. At least 30 players have had to retire prematurely over the last 12 months with Wales hooker Huw Bennett the most recent victim with Achilles trouble.
International players forced to retire in last 12 months: Joe Ansbro (Scotland, Neck, 27), Huw Bennett (Wales, Achilles, 30), Morgan Stoddart (Wales, Broken leg, 28), Graeme Morrison (Scotland, Knee, 30), Dan Hipkiss (England, Shoulder, 30), Juan Smith (South Africa, Achilles, 31), Alex Brown (England, Shoulder, 33), Hendre Fourie (England, Shoulder, 33), Shaun Perry (England, Knee, 34), Andy Long (England, Neck, 34), David Flatman (England, Hand, 32), Craig Newby (New Zealand, Knee, 33), Dan Vickerman (Australia, Shin, 33), Rory Lamont (Scotland, Broken leg, 30), Doug Howlett (New Zealand, Shoulder, 34), Ben Blair (New Zealand, Knee, 33), Lee Mears (England, Heart condition, 33), Jamie Robinson (Wales, Knee, 33), Deon Carstens (South Africa, Back, 33).
PETER JACKSON