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'I would give up my left testicle': Tom Robertson
By AAP
So just how desperate is prop Tom Robertson to play for the Wallabies again?
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“I would give up my left testicle,” the Western Force veteran says without hesitation.
It’s been three years since Robertson last pulled on the Wallabies gold.
Since then, he has ruptured his ACL, spent a year-long study sabbatical at Oxford as part of his path to becoming a doctor, and fell back in love with rugby again.
Robertson produced a standout Super Rugby Pacific campaign this year to win the Nathan Sharpe Medal as the Western Force’s player of the season.
The 30-year-old further bolstered his Wallabies hopes with a strong display for the Force in Saturday night’s 54-7 loss to the British and Irish Lions in front of 46,656 fans at Optus Stadium.
The Force’s scrum was widely tipped to be humbled against the Lions.
But powered by Robertson’s efforts, the Force’s scrum stood firm all night, and was arguably the better of the two teams.
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Robertson has notched 31 caps for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2016, and his selection in the squad for next Sunday’s Test against Fiji in Newcastle shows he’s now well and truly back in the frame.
Getting a gig to feature in the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions would be a dream come true.
“It would mean the world,” Robertson said.
“You know, I haven’t played a Test since 2022, and that’s the highlight of your career.
“I would give my left testicle to do it again.
“Just to be in the squad is an honour, and to push for a gig in that 23 would be unreal.
“I came close last year being in the squad for a bit, but I had a few injuries and didn’t make the 23.
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“It would be an unreal experience to play a Test against the Lions.”
Robertson said there were definitely moments he doubted he would ever feature for the Wallabies again.
“I did my ACL in 2023 and took a year off, went over to Oxford,” he said.
“It was great fun. And I sort of got away from rugby, but I think that was the best thing for me. I really got that drive back.
“When I was away, there were definitely moments there where I didn’t know if I’d come back to professional rugby, but I’m very glad I did.
“I feel like I’ve got that spark back.”
Another Force player who boosted his chances of a Wallabies recall was Dylan Pietsch, who was the standout performer against the Lions on Saturday night.
The 27-year-old produced a series of dazzling runs in the first half in what was just his second match back from a serious quad injury.
“I did a 25cm grade-three tear in my quad,” Pietsch revealed of the injury.
“It was pretty big, it was in the first three minutes of the Highlanders game (in round eight), when I went to take off and it just ripped.”
Pietsch returned for the Force’s final game of the season, and credits the team’s physiotherapist, “Magic” Mike Neil, for having him in tip-top shape.
“I just feel smooth,” Pietsch said.
“Throughout the back end of last year, and then going into the start of this year, I was kind of fighting for a lot of things.
“Like my joints weren’t really going that well.
“Just to be able to not have to worry about that, and get to the speed and the agility that I want to be at is pretty cool.”
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