By Duncan Wood
August 5 2002

Several of the Bristol Shoguns players had to undergo surgery during the summer. Thankfully, their rehabilitation seems to be on track and they are set to return to full time training very shortly.

Following on from the news that Matt Salter is set to return shortly from neck surgery, the Bristol Evening Post reported over the weekend that Alex Brown and Julian White are both about to return to training after ankle operations.

Both players were carrying the injuries for the majority of last season. Brown, in fact, injured his ankle on the England tour to North America and Canada. He battled his way through the season and managed to delay the surgery until after the Zurich Championship Playoff final.

Sadly this meant that he had to miss out on the England tour to Argentina when he would have been a very strong candidate for a full cap. An injury suffered on one England tour put paid to his participation on another. It's a bizarre world.

White also carried the ankle injury for most of last season and has taken the opportunity to sort the joint out. His operation also meant that he missed out on the tour to Argentina which prevented him adding to his tally of caps.

Both players will be hoping to play some part in the forthcoming preseason tour of Ireland although match fitness will obviously be an issue for them.

The other long term injury absentee is Andrew Higgins who suffered a neck injury similar to whiplash in the home game against Northampton at the tail end of last season. He missed out on the SANZAR World Cup in South Africa becasue of the injury and his strong running will be needed again this season.