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'I felt like a normal human but I wasn't allowed to do anything for two months' - Jono Lance's back fracture ordeal

Jono Lance takes a mid-air tumble with the Reds, but a fracture with Worcester has kept him out of the game for the past four months (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

It sounded gruesome, a prognosis of 16 weeks out of the game with a broken back. For Worcester’s Jono Lance, though, the stress fracture injury sustained last October wasn’t the worst of his near decade-long professional career. 

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“I broke and dislocated my ankle a while ago. That was a rough one,” he said, comparing the various setbacks that have confined him at times to the sidelines. 

“I unfortunately have had a few injuries, but this one was the weird in the sense that I didn’t feel injured but I knew I needed to take some time out.

“I walking around and I felt like a normal human you could say. I wasn’t on crutches, I wasn’t laboured in any way, I was just a normal human who wasn’t allowed to do anything for two months. 

“It was a two-month complete shut-down, which was definitely a refreshing time but also a little frustrating. Then after that it was about slowly building back into it in terms of building up the running load, the strength.

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“It was probably about a four- to five-week period of getting into that before skills started and then the last month it has definitely added up to the point we are now at. It’s probably the best I have felt in a year I reckon.”

Not that the rehab was entirely plain sailing. “I’m a frustrated spectator. Away games have been tough because you can’t have too much input, but for all the home games I have definitely tried to get in at half-time and have a chat with Duncan (Weir). If I’m seeing something I definitely want to get that message out to the guys. 

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“The few weeks before I was back I was running water and messages for the group, which was good way to get back into it. It has been a frustrating time but one that has been about still trying to help in any way possible.”

All that patience will be rewarded this weekend, Lance catapulted straight back into the Warriors line-up as a replacement in their relegation head-to-head on Sunday away to Newcastle, the league’s bottom side who trail by nine points. 

He’d a brief taste last season of the relegation pressures while on a short-term deal, but the Australian, who had Super Rugby stints at the Reds, the Waratahs and the Force, is still getting his head around a competition formatted very differently to what he was used to back home. 

“It’s new to me,” said the out-half, who took up Worcester’s offer of a permanent two-year deal last summer. “I’d a brief taste of it last year when I was here for a few months but to be involved in it fully, it is intense and pressurised and just a very interesting thing to be a part of. 

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“You can say for all competitions there is no easy games, there are no off-weeks, but this makes it very, very much the truth. For us it’s about building on wins and preparing well for each game, but also about trying to look up the table instead of look behind. 

Jono Lance poses for a portrait during the Worcester Warriors squad photo call for the 2018/19 season (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

“We know how close the table is and we know putting together a lot of good performances can move you up the table quite quickly – and we want to do that. We’re looking at the teams ahead of us and not below us.

“We want to be looking up the table, we want to be playing in the Champions Cup. Everyone has aspirations… the club definitely feels quite settled and the playing group is very confident in where it is going. 

“As well as that, with new owners coming in it’s quite exciting times. To see a guy like Chris Pennell, who has been here for 10 years, excited about the future is all the evidence I need about where we’re looking as a group.”

Job security is a relief to Lance after living through the Force’s Super Rugby disbandment. “It’s definitely something I don’t want to experience again,” said the 29-year-old, whose switch to England has been a sort of homecoming for the Aussie.  

It was 1999 when he arrived in Yorkshire and spent two years there while his father Dean coached Super League’s Leeds Rhinos. Now he’s back and retracing his steps, even if he’s doing so in a different rugby code. 

“I lived in England when I was young when my dad coached the rugby league team in Leeds. It was when I was nine until I was 11. I remember going to the smaller stadiums with the atmosphere and the drums and the trumpets. That definitely made a lasting impression.

“As well as that, the shorter bus rides to and from games is a bit different to flying at least three and up to 12 hours to get to an away game. That is exciting, but also the pressure that comes with the relegation/promotion side of English sport is something that is a drawcard. 

“There were many factors but I had enjoyed my three-month stint here at Worcester and when I got back to Australia I enjoyed that but I was looking forward to heading back over here.”

Jono Lance has loved returning to England’s atmospheric small grounds like Sixways where a groundsman paints the lines ahead of the Worcester-Leicester game (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

A bus ride to a new destination now awaits Lance. He’s never before been to Newcastle, but is ready for what his comeback weekend has in store.

“It’s definitely exciting to be back. The body is feeling good and it’s about trying to get back to playing some rugby.

“Heading up to Newcastle gives us a good opportunity to spend the night away, enjoy the bus ride up, enjoy the whole weekend that comes with it, have a good dinner together and bond as a group. 

“If we enjoy our time together and get stuck in on a Sunday, it puts us in a good position as it is going to be as big challenge.” 

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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