Bell set to tango in Tonga
Bell is likely to return to international competitive action on the second leg of Ireland’s tour to Tonga and Samoa, nine years after his first representative honours in Australia.
The Ballymena man is still only 29 years old and is one of the most injury-prone of all Irish players.
“I feel like I’m starting all over again because I have missed out on so much over the last couple of years,” he says.
“It’s all about being fit again, being quite excited and ready for road. I was delighted to win my first cap against Australia way back then but I really thought, over the last couple of seasons, that I was finished with international rugby after winning my 33rd against Romania in 2001.”
Frustration has been the biggest word used by Bell in a career fragmented by injury: “It has been a rough time even through the good times.
In this sport it is inevitable that you are going to pick up injuries. It’s the nature of the game but it does seem that I’ve picked up a lot more than anyone else.
“I have gone through the whole range of injuries, hamstrings, Achilles, groin strains and wrist and shoulder problems. The list goes on and on.
“The frustrating thing was that there was a lot of expectation placed on me from the time I made my debut. Everyone likes to think they can live up to expectation.
"I suppose it’s true to say that I didn’t live up to that, but I know in my own heart that there were reasons why. I have had setback after setback and there is no doubt that it knocks confidence.
"I have always wanted to achieve but knew, for one reason or another, that I couldn’t quite achieve what I wanted.
“The one thing that sustained me throughout a rather traumatic career was that I believed myself to be good enough to play high quality rugby if I was able to avoid injury.”
His selection on the Irish touring squad was a pleasant surprise, but more than that was the fact that Eddie O’Sullivan had kept in close contact and offered many words of encouragement along the way.
“I am lucky in one sense that the Irish management over the last few seasons had not forgotten about me. There were times when I was out of the bigger picture because of injury but I was included in Irish squads whenever I was available.”
Meanwhile, with the ‘Subiaco Nine’ back on Irish soil following Saturday’s defeat by Australia, the remainder of the 30-strong Irish party arrived in the Tongan capital, Nuku Alofa, earlier this morning in preparation for the weekend test.
David Humphreys, Peter Stringer & Co may now have the chance to get an early start on their summer holidays, but for the rest of the Irish squad, the hard work is only beginning.
With less than four months to go before Rugby World Cup 2003 gets underway, the battle for the last few remaining places in the 30-man Irish squad begins in earnest.
On paper at least, it would appear that Tonga should pose little threat to an Irish squad firmly established in the professional era.
When the IRFU enquired before the start of the tour if they could borrow some footballs during their eight-night stay in the country, they were told they could have the use of two.
The request for the use of tackle bags and body sights was met with stony silence by the man from the Tongan Rugby Union.
A couple of years ago the Tongans travelled to play in Australia without any boots and basic equipment on the island would appear to be a problem.
Australia flanker George Smith will miss the Wallabies‘ Tests against Wales and England over the next two weeks after sustaining nerve damage to his neck during their 45-16 victory over Ireland in Perth on Saturday.
With winger Wendell Sailor suffering from rib cartilage damage he may well give NSW‘s Lote Tuqiri his full Test debut against Wales.
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