Bone transplant has Roberts up and running
JOE Roberts is Welsh rugby‘s answer to the Bionic Man having received a bone transplant from a mystery American donor.
After making a try-scoring Six Nations debut against France in March, the Scarlets centre had to undergo major surgery to rectify a serious knee problem.
“I had a hole in the bottom of my femur where it came into my knee,” he explains.
“I think it was wear and tear, a build-up from when I did my cruciate ligament a few years ago.
“So, I had to get a bone transplant flown in from somewhere – I think it came from America.
“They scraped all the mess out and plugged the hole with another person’s bone.
“The knee should look healthy now because the bone surface is all healed and the plug would have worked.
“I have had a few injuries now. Hopefully this is the last one, touch wood.”
Outlining his road to recovery, Roberts says: “The time frame they gave me was anywhere between six and 12 months for the whole process, but the surgeon said the operation went well and hopefully I should be back before Christmas.
“I was off my feet on crutches for about a month, so it wasn’t too bad.
“I have been doing strength testing and that has come back well. Hopefully I should be running within a few weeks.”
As for how he has handled his latest lay-off, the 24-year-old says: “I am a frustrated watcher. That’s the worst part, it’s not actually getting injured, it’s sitting in the stands watching the boys train and play. I’m a big golfer and I haven’t been able to play golf, so I have taken up fishing. I have caught a few!”
Looking ahead, the twice-capped Roberts says: “I need to get back on the pitch and perform and get back to where I was and then I can start thinking of the future, but the ultimate goal would be the next World Cup.”
It’s been the end of an era at the Scarlets this summer with Wales centres Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams both moving on.
“I pretty much based my game off theirs,” reveals Roberts.
“They were good enough so you could pretty much mimic them and you would get half way there.
“They helped me in all sorts of ways, not just on the field, but through my injuries as well. They were just great role models.”
