Doncaster Knights: Dougie Flockhart targets return to action next month
The long-serving Scot has yet to play this season having being injured in the penultimate warm-up game against Loughborough Students at Coulman Road in mid-August.
The club's top points scorer was hit hard as he fielded a high kick, suffering an ankle injury which resulted in the torn ligament which connects the two leg bones being replaced with an artificial one.
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Hide AdIt is the second serious injury suffered by the 32-year-old in the past three seasons – he tore a bicep which needed surgery in the second half of the 2015-16 campaign.
“It's obviously frustrating being out injured for several months or more but prior to the bicep injury I'd been relatively lucky with injuries during my career,” he said.
“I’d obviously liked to have been playing but my role as strength and conditioning coach has helped keep me involved.”
Flockhart, who hopes to be back running in a fortnight and back playing next month, has not been short of company in working on his rehab, joining the likes of fellow backs Mat Clark, Paul Jarvis and Lloyd Hayes, who returned to action at the weekend, among others.
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Hide Ad“We’ve all helped each other to keep our spirits up,” he said.
“We’ve had quite a few injuries so far this season but it’s not just us – the same thing has been happening at other clubs. The game is much more physical and dynamic.
“When I first started in this league it was totally different in that you had a few part time teams and so one or two relatively easier games.
“You don’t get that these days.
“Almost every team can beat every other on their day and if you aren’t on top of your game you can easily get beat.
“That was the case in our last league game at Hartpury.
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Hide Ad“I know it’s their first season at this level but when a team has had the success they have had in recent years it gives them a winning mentality and they aren’t worried about playing teams like us.
“It was a disappointing result, as was Saturday's B&I Cup defeat against Leinster A at Castle Park, but we are still in the top four of the Championship.”