The 2019 World Cup in Japan is the dream, but for now Tom Robertson is purely focused on returning to the park for the NSW Waratahs.
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The Dubbo Kangaroos junior underwent a knee reconstruction earlier this month after suffering a serious injury at a Wallabies training camp in Argentina.
Players regularly require anywhere from six to nine months to recover from a ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament injury like the one Robertson suffered, meaning the prop won’t have a great deal of time to return to peak fitness before the World Cup next September.
Speaking at the Dubbo Rhinos’ Beach to Bush rugby sevens event on Saturday, Robertson said the only goal for now is getting back on the paddock to help the NSW Waratahs chase a Super Rugby title next season.
“I’m hoping to get back in April of next year for the Tahs and that’s the goal. I’ll just do my rehab and that stuff properly and hopefully I’ll be good to go,” he said.
“My first priority is to get back for the Waratahs because looking at our roster we can win the Super Rugby comp next year. That’s the first focus but the World Cup, that’s the pinnacle and the dream. It’s what you play for and to make a World Cup would be unbelievable.
“But at the same time, I’ve got to play well before I get picked.”
Many Australian rugby fans don’t have high hopes heading towards the showpiece event in Japan.
The Wallabies’ Rugby Championship campaign ended with a whimper on Saturday night, a loss to South Africa meaning Michael Cheika’s men finish the competition with just one win to their name.
There has been plenty of talk around Cheika’s position as coach as a result of the poor form, but Robertson feels it’s up to the playing group to lift.
“I back the playing group we’ve got, the likes of Israel Folau, Michael Hooper, and Kurtley Beale,” he said.
“We have the playing squad but as players we’ve got to do our job better, it’s as simple as that.
“I still believe we can win the World Cup. In 2015 we lost the final and I think we were in a similar position a year from that so I’m still expecting us to go well there.”