THERE can be some dark and lonely times for sportsmen recovering from a long-term injury and Warriors prop George Porter is delighted to have finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

The Gloucester-born former Plymouth front-rower arrived at Sixways from Brickfields as a promising loosehead back in May 2011, but he feels his Worcester career is only just beginning after 10 months out with a shoulder problem.

The 24-year-old made his return to the first team at Wasps last Saturday and is determined to make up for lost time.

“Obviously, the score and the loss at Wasps on Saturday was not a positive, but it was just nice to be back out there,” he admitted.

“I had a shoulder operation, but there were then complications with an infection after what should have been a pretty simple procedure.

“I probably came back a little bit too early before — but you really have to get your rehab done. Ryan Fisher (strength and conditioning coach) has been great and I’ve been one-on-one with him since about March or April just to get me back playing.

“Guys like Picks (Stuart Pickering, head of strength and conditioning), Ryan and the physio John Chaffe have been good as gold, as has club doctor Terry Gasper. They are always on hand to help.

“The shoulder feels 100 per cent now though and I’ve been back in full training for five or six weeks prior to my first game, so they weren’t taking any risks.

“You can do as much training and team building with the guys as you want, but it is when you go out and play matches together that you get to know each other.

“We have a great group of guys, but there is only so much banter you can have when you are out injured on the sidelines — when you’re back in though, there’s nothing better than the craic you have with the lads.

“Being out injured can be quite a lonely thing and the training is brutal — Shaun Perry and I were in the injured group together quite a bit last year and I’m surprised it didn’t drive the medical staff mad listening to us every day.

“I’ve never established myself as a Premiership player because in the first year I was finding my feet and behind Ceri Jones and Matt Mullan, then the second year was the time for me to take my opportunity, but I had the setback with injury. Hopefully, I can put that behind me and I’m raring to go.”

Porter admits the Warriors front row came off second best at Adams Park to a pack containing the man who was always ahead of him in the Sixways pecking order, Mullan.

“Matt is a good bloke, but he’s not a Worcester player anymore,” Porter said. “Guys like Ceri, Euan Murray and John Andress are a great help to me as a younger guy and I want to gain as much knowledge from them as I can. Chris Brooker has been a great help.

“The Wasps pack had the better of us on Saturday but we want to keep improving every week and tomorrow against Newcastle will be another big test.”