Wulf on a wing and a prayer

Yahoo!Xtra Sport / Neil Reid - June 19, 2008, 11:45 am

The inspirational Rudi Wulf is set to write another brave chapter into the incredible history of the All Blacks.

Wulf, 24, will debut for the All Blacks against England on Saturday night just three years after breaking his neck in an horrific swimming pool accident.

The injury happened while the devoutly religious wing was in camp with the New Zealand side in Auckland while preparing to head to Argentina for the IRB's Under-21 World Championship.

What followed were months of uncertainty.

Not just over whether Wulf would return to the rugby field again, but with questions asked over his future quality of life.

Emotions are a normal and understandable feeling for anyone donning the famous All Black jersey for the first time.

It's fair to say those felt by Wulf, and his family, will be stronger than many previous All Blacks given the incredible and brave battle he has shown to return to the field, let alone make it into test rugby.

And as he prepares to line up for the All Blacks, the skilful wing has spoken of the private torment he battled in the months following the moment which threatened to kill off his bold rugby dream.

"I wasn't sure (if I would play again), it all depended on how well the fractures healed up," Wulf said.

"I was just kind of praying and hoping that I would be able to get back on the field because I was really missing it when I was stuck on the chair and just watching on TV and couldn't be part of it.

"I was quite frustrated, just lying on the Lazyboy for three months and I couldn't take the halo off, even when it got itchy sometimes.

"The support from my family, my fiancee and church really got me through it and got my hopes up again that I would return back on the field."

The moment which threatened to end his dreams

Wulf had already turned a few heads by the time he was selected for the New Zealand Under-21 team for the tournament in Argentina.

By then he had impressed at national age-grade level, with the New Zealand Sevens team and his North Harbour province.

And he rightfully went into camp with the Colts in high spirits about what awaited him and his team-mates in Argentina.

But those hopes were dashed in traumatic circumstances after a dive into the pool at the side's hotel went horribly wrong.

"I was doing pool recovery (session), hot and colds after our Colts training," Wulf said.

"We were two days out from leaving for Argentina for the Colts World Cup. I just finished off with a dive into the pool and hit the bottom head-first."

Wulf was OK to leave the pool area but later complained of neck soreness.

But neither himself nor the team's medical staff had any idea about the severity of the injury.

"I didn't know I had fractured anything at the time," Wulf said.

"Our team doctor just thought it was a bit of whiplash and told me to sleep on it and see how it felt the next day. Then the next day it was worse and I couldn't move at all."

When the extent of the injury was later diagnosed at hospital, medical experts went into overdrive, ensuring his head and neck was immobilised.

"They were just a bit worried if I could feel my fingers and toes. They kept on asking me that," Wulf said.

Then came the question that the ambitious Wulf needed answering: 'Would he ever play rugby again?'

"They saw the amount of fractures I had and said I had to wait and see how well they healed over the (next) three months," he said.

A burning desire through his painful rehab

Most people who suffer broken necks would be happy just to be able to walk again and have a decent quality of life.

But not Wulf.

The thoughts of playing rugby dominated his mind soon after being diagnosed with a broken neck.

At the time his family and medical experts didn't think that was the wisest of options.

"I always wanted to get back into rugby," he said.

"I hadn't had enough yet and it was the thing that I had most passion for."

And those feelings only burned brighter following a succession of visits from high profile rugby figures, including British Lions star and World Cup-winning England loose forward Lawrence Dallaglio.

Future Blues team-mates and All Black backs coach Wayne Smith also visited the future star during his painful and frustrating rehab period.

"I met up with Lawrence Dallaglio, he came and visited me at home when I was in my halo when he was touring with the Lions," Wulf said.

"He gave me a lot of kind words and really put my spirits up there. He said to hang in there and that everything will be alright.

"I knew their (the Lions') liaison officer who was looking after them at the time. He organised it for me and got him to come around to my place.

"A couple of the boys Keven (Mealamu) and Derren Witcombe came and visited me in hospital, and Wayne Smith as well."

While Wulf's desire to return to the field gradually grew, there was one person who still remained reluctant.

He said it was his mum who needed the most convincing that his return to the rugby field wouldn't pose more long-term risks.

"She wasn't too keen on me going back into it, especially seeing me in that halo brace," he said.

"That was pretty hard for her. But she could see deep down inside I always wanted to pursue my dreams."

Overcoming the mental scars

Wulf made his long-awaited return to the rugby field just 11 months after breaking his neck in the diving accident.

It followed meetings with his specialist who warned him there "is always a risk if you have injured your neck before".

It was a risk the ambitious Wulf was prepared to take.

Rugby was his dream, with the ultimate goal being to play for the All Blacks. And he had the faith that he was mentally and physically strong enough to return to rugby.

But he admits to being rightfully a bit hesitant in his initial comeback in the North Harbour club competition.

"It was quite nerve-wracking, my first club game back for Marist North Harbour," he said.

"I wasn't too sure whether to go into rucks or anything.

"I got a couple of big knocks in that first game and that put my confidence back up there."

For Wulf, it was all about regaining confidence.

And he says another physical battering he copped in his second game back for Marist went a long way to regaining his former confidence back.

"The main thing I had to get my confidence in was in tackling and into contact," he said.

"I didn't know how well it would hold up if I gave it a big knock.

"But I got a big knock in my second club game, I get a knee right on my head. It cracked a little, I heard a cracking sound, and I got up and gave it a bit of a twist and turn to see if there was any pain.

"But it was all fine so that was pretty much the all clear for me."

An inspiration to others!

On being named in the initial 26-man All Black squad of the season, Smith had no hesitation in nominating Wulf as the bravest player in New Zealand under the high ball.

It was a virtue that he showed with regularity for the Blues in the 2008 Rebel Sport Super 14.

Wulf said being around the calibre of those in the All Blacks just three years after breaking his neck had taken a while to kick in.

Wulf's odds-defying efforts should be seen as an inspiration.

With negativity still being aimed the All Blacks' way, the guts and courage he has shown in his comeback is a truly remarkable feel good story.

And as he prepares to run out onto Christchurch's AMI Stadium for his test debut, Wulf said he hoped his story would help other spinal injury sufferers to keep their faith.

"Yeah for sure," he said.

"I think if you just stick to what the doctor says, what the surgeon says, and don't take any short-cuts with your recovery (you will be fine).

"It was hard for me to keep it (his halo) on and stay the whole time.

"Even when I got the halo brace off, I still wasn't allowed to run or anything. I just listened because he knew best and it worked for me."

He leart many lessons about himself during the dark times of 2005.

And three years on he says he has also learnt how to approach swimming pools differently.

"I make sure I know the depth first, but mainly (dive) feet first now into pools," he said.