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Owen Watkin will make his return from a serious knee injury after being named on the bench for the Ospreys’ Challenge Cup clash with Montauban
Owen Watkin is ready to put nearly 11 months of injury hell behind him as he makes his return from a serious knee injury for the Ospreys this weekend.
The 29-year-old has been out of action since rupturing knee ligaments in Wales’ Six Nations opener against France in Paris at the end of January. However, after being involved in the warm-up for the win over Connacht at the Brewery Field last weekend, he has been named in Mark Jones’ matchday 23 to face Montauban out in France on Saturday – lining up on the bench alongside another long-term absentee, Morgan Morris.
Jack Walsh captains the side in Saturday’s Challenge Cup fixture (3.15pm), with Wales international Dan Edwards rested after a busy start to the season.
The Challenge Cup fixture will end nearly a year on the sidelines for Wales centre Watkin, with his return being a timely one for the Ospreys heading into the busy festive period.
“It’s quite a big week for me,” said Watkin. “Obviously over the last 10, nine months I’ve had a couple of setbacks with the injury and it’s been pretty difficult, because I think I’ve been unfortunate to pick up lot of knee injuries in my career.
“It has been tough and you lean on your teammates, your family to get through those tough times, but I’m just looking forward to getting out on the weekend and playing a bit of rugby.
“I don’t think people realize how daunting it can be in terms of day in, day out. You’re pretty much going through the motions in terms of the same thing. You see the boys going away for games or they’re training you’re pretty much stuck in the gym all day.
“I was fortunate I had a good group at the start. Obviously Rhys Davies and Rhys Henry and then the last bit was like me and Morgan Morris obviously stuck together because we’re back at the same time. It is the players who get you through the rehab.
“It’s difficult. I knew with the original injury it is going be a good few months and obviously you spend a lot of time with boys. They get back fit and then someone else and unfortunately comes into the group. So I was still there throughout the whole season which was tough.”
Watkin had originally set a goal to get back for the start of the season, but another surgery ended up pushing his comeback. However, playing before the end of 2025 was still “massively important” for Watkin.
The centre has previously been sidelined for 14 months with a knee injury – so he’s taken some solace in the fact this spell out of the game was a little shorter.
“It’s the other knee, so I’ve got two dodgy knees,” he admits. “It’s part of the job. You have surgeries and I’ve just been unfortunate with it all on my knees.
“It makes you take nothing for granted. It is super tough. You have days where you think you don’t want to do this anymore because it’s the same old thing. And unfortunately that’s the way it is when you are injured.
“I have a good family around me at home. My wife knew how to deal with sort of my down days which is awesome for me and obviously the boys in work push you and motivated you to get back fit as soon as possible.
“I’ve been there, I’ve done it before. I have had all these setbacks, I think I’ve had five or six surgeries now.
“It’s definitely made me a lot more resilient, mentally tough, 100% knowing I’ve probably been through a tough time the last 11 months, probably the hardest time of my life really in terms of rugby. It is just motivating me knowing I want to get back to the level I was before I’d done the injury.”
As well as being a boost for the Ospreys, Watkin’s return to the pitch could offer Steve Tandy another midfield option ahead of the Six Nations.
Eddie James, Nick Tompkins, Ben Thomas, Max Llewellyn, Johnny Williams, Joe Hawkins and Joe Roberts have all started in Wales’ midfield since Watkin picked up the injury in his 43rd cap.
“I’m still only 29, still pretty young but think I’ve got a lot of experience,” he said. “I just want to get back playing and find a bit of form and see what happens.
“I’d love to get back in the red jersey one day and don’t want that game to be my last one,
“I’m still massively motivated to do that but the main point is just get back playing, enjoy it and stay fit.”
Ospreys: Max Nagy; Ryan Conbeer, Evardi Boshoff, Phil Cokanasiga, Keelan Giles; Jack Walsh, Luke Davies; Cameron Jones, Lewis Lloyd, Rhys Henry, Huw Sutton, James Fender, Ross Moriarty, Gwilym Evans, Morgan Morse.
Replacements: Efan Daniel, Steff Thomas, Kian Hire, Lewis Jones, Morgan Morris, Kieran Hardy, Owen Watkin, Iestyn Hopkins.
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