Operated on last November for a ruptured knee Thomas Bosc, the France and Catalan Dragons play maker, is ready to rejoin Super League after an eight months absence. The gifted stand off and Tricolours talisman is poised to return against Hull FC this Saturday. Here he talks about his protracted recuperation.

Immediately after the operation I was committed to the rehabilitation centre in Montpellier for three weeks. From morning until evening I worked with the physios on flexing and extending the knee. I will only say that it was very intense. Then I returned to Perpignan where I continued the work of repairing the patella tendon with the Catalan medical staff. Bit by bit we began stretching it, rebuilding the muscle and after four weeks I am due to have my last session in Montpellier.

My last game was in August 2010, against Leeds.  Such a long time not playing is tough. It’s really difficult to maintain morale when you are seeing the other players train while you’re just a spectator.  Fortunately, [head coach] Trent Robinson never stopped including me in the squad. I was next to him a lot during matches which was important so that I understand his style of play and get to grips with the system we’ve set up this season. 

I began full training with the boys in mid-February.  I gradually resumed the physical element and did not really experience any pain which was a positive sign.  It’s good to rediscover being part of a team.  We worked all the basics of rugby from scratch. 

I did a test on Monday, flexing and extending the knee.  I had only 10-20% deficit in terms of force compared to 30% last week and the muscle is 1-2cm smaller in comparison with the other leg compared to 7cm in my first session. The surgeon, therefore, gave me the green light to resume Super League matches.

I played two games for feeder club St Esteve-XIII Catalan and before the first against Villeneuve I was fairly anxious but any nerves disappeared after five minutes of the game. The hits, working on the ground and the like were a little painful but we are well looked after, iced after the game and the next day it was as though nothing had happened. 

Last weekend’s match against Carpentras I played the full 80 minutes. It was an interesting match for me as I wanted to do well to get picked for the Catalan squad. Physically, the first-half was tougher than the second but conditioning only improves with every match, so I’ll improve bit by bit. These matches gave me the opportunity to work on my in-game vision and footwork. 

I have put my hand up for a place this Saturday against Hull FC. The team is in great shape and full of confidence following our two recent victories against the championship’s big guns Wigan and Warrington so I need to be able to get to that level pretty quickly.

The squad perhaps had trouble adapting itself initially to Trent Robinson’s system. The players are a lot freer than they were last year, there are no pre-determined limitations. Everyone has to adapt himself to situations and react according to his own judgment and is, therefore, really involved in the game that, ultimately, is played on instinct. Against the Warriors, the players played almost a perfect game: few errors, always making the right decisions, great defensively and taking advantages of opportunities.  I hope it’ll be the same on Saturday evening.