Alison Miller’s steady steps on a long road to recovery

Having spent nine months on the sidelines, Irish rugby star Alison Miller has “rediscovered the love for the game” as she gears up to make a return.

Alison Miller’s steady steps on a long road to recovery

By James O’Connor

Having spent nine months on the sidelines, Irish rugby star Alison Miller has “rediscovered the love for the game” as she gears up to make a return.

Miller sustained a horrific compound ankle fracture against Italy in the Six Nations last February, and now the 34-year-old winger is back in Ireland’s training camp and more excited than ever to return on the field.

“I’ve had injuries before but this one was by far the most painful, you can’t see yourself getting back into the game. Everything goes through your mind in that instant, especially at my age. Will I play again? What’s next?

“But once you start to heal slowly, you begin to think more rationally. It was a forced break that I haven’t had in a while, and being out certainly brought my love back to the game. I’m in a privileged position and being away from the game makes you appreciate that.”

Having won 43 caps for Ireland with a strike rate of a try every two games, it would have been easy for Miller to retire, but her competitive nature willed her to making a comeback.

“It’s a very slow process, you begin to bear weight on crutches, then go to just one crutch. My approach is to take it day by day, you can’t think too far ahead. But once I started to see progression it became a lot easier.

“I missed the game so much when I was out. Something that played such a big part in my life was taken away from me in a split second, then you begin to miss the lifestyle and being fit and strong.

What I missed most was the camaraderie of it all, being out there with the girls and having fun in the dressing room. I don’t take myself too seriously so I miss having a laugh with the team.

“Also the competitiveness of playing at that level, being out on the pitch and trying to win was another thing.

“I’m a competitive person by nature, so having that definitely played a key factor in wanting to get back out there.”

The Laois teacher is currently working her way back to match fitness, and while the Six Nations seems a realistic goal for Miller, she refuses to get caught up in comeback dates and deadlines.

“I’m back in the Irish camp now. There are lots of new faces and that’s great to see, having new players coming through definitely brings up the standards for the team. Both the students and staff of Athy College have been great to me throughout the injury. Also the IRFU have helped me out massively, all the coaches and staff have given me all the help needed to get back to playing.

“I don’t think that having a comeback date is important because you could be back before or after that.

“It’s about ticking all the boxes: strength, speed, fitness and once you have your skills then you can think about returning.

“I’m hoping to get a game in before Christmas, but all I can do is take it day by day and work hard to get back.”

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