Chris Kirwan, SWA writes :

EVEN in his days as a cage fighter Mike Poole didn’t suffer a blow as crushing as the one he received on tour in Hong Kong.The 24-year-old winger had just signed a contract with Newport Gwent Dragons and was looking forward to trying to push into the regional set-up.
But an injury to his right knee ligaments while playing for the Crawshays appeared to put that in jeopardy. After going under the knife, he was told to expect to be out of action until late December.

“I was absolutely gutted,” said Poole, who has scored 35 tries in 49 appearances for Newport over the last two seasons.

“I was buzzing about signing the deal with the Dragons and having the chance to move up from the Premiership. It seemed like a good opportunity to play out in Hong Kong, but it turned into a nightmare. I was massively down. But the Dragons have been brilliant. I was really nervous because, while they had given me permission to go, I did it playing for someone else. My first worry was that I would be out the door, but (team manager) Robert Beale was on the phone straight away when I came back from Hong Kong telling me that I would come back strongly from this injury. They have said they are looking forward to seeing me back in action and that sort of reassurance is brilliant for a player who is trying to break through.”

The winger, from Grangetown, Cardiff, isn’t one for looking back in anger and is already plotting a charge for Paul Turner’s team in 2011. Poole, who enjoyed cage fighting until a shin injury prompted then Newport coach Ian Hembrow to suggest it probably wasn’t a wise hobby, believes he will thrive in the Dragons environment. He will continue to work at the pest control company he set up with Newport flanker Sam Waldron but, with the support of his understanding teammate, he will concentrate on making a go of it as a professional sportsman.

He said: “There is no doubt that being in this environment can only make you a better player – I know I am going to come back stronger and faster. This gives me the chance to get in the gym and put on the few extra kilos that I need. I am already on a pretty stringent weights plan. There will still be plenty of rugby to be played when I come back. I know that I will still have a chance to make an impression. I have the belief that I can make the step up. I love smashing into people, and I know I am tough enough, while my handling has improved massively over the last year. Jon Bryant (Newport backs coach and former Dragons centre) has been brilliant for me and I’m sure Darren Edwards will develop my skills even more. It is important that I don’t rush back from this injury, but I am itching to get involved.”