Waratahs forward Pat McCutcheon ready to return from a year on sidelines for horror injury Pat McCutcheon in Waratahs training in Sydney ahead of this weekend's match. Picture: Taylor Adam Source: The Daily Telegraph SOME players suffer major injuries and struggle to get past them. Some players look down and see an ankle bent sideways, dislocated and broken, and think about the injury long after a cast has come off. Some players visit sports psychologists when they're returning to action to help dig up traumatic memories and confront them. And some players don't. Nah, I didn't need a psychologist. I am happy to watch the footage. It doesn't scar me, it doesn't phase me. The body is what it is, and if it is going to break, it's going to break," Waratahs forward Pat McCutcheon says. It was no Kevin Ware (Google it), but McCutcheon saw his ankle do ugly things last year when he busted it badly scoring a try against the Highlanders in Dunedin. Just as he'd begun to make Phil Waugh's vacant No.7 his own, a dislocated and broken ankle saw McCutcheon sidelined for a year. Until last month, however, when a year later to the day, McCutcheon returned to the NSW backrow with such ease, he could have only been out a week. Not only was his physical state impressive, but McCutcheon's painful memories didn't hold him back an inch. You can't control injury like that. The ankle is locked in now, it's strong. I feel fine in the mind," McCutcheon said. Physically it still gets sore. I limp off the field after a training session most days, but it's plenty of ice overnight and plenty of fish oil and then wake up and bash it into the ground all over again. If you have any doubt why McCutcheon will keep the NSW No.8 jersey tonight against the Hurricanes and Test star Wycliff Palu will return on the bench, go read those quotes again. McCutcheon may not be the biggest name at the Tahs, but few in sky blue are tougher. With only 30 minutes of a back-oval club trial under his belt, McCutcheon was thrown on to the NSW bench against the Cheetahs by Michael Cheika, and a week later was moved into the starting No.8 role. Two tight wins have followed, and McCutcheon's mix of aggression and tireless work ethic impressed Cheika so much, he had no choice but to seat Palu on the pine. "I feel like I am lacking a bit of that speed and acceleration, but spring is probably the last thing to come when you have a broken leg," McCutcheon said. I am getting through a lot of work, that's a positive ... but I'm still sucking in seagulls. Angry about getting bullied by the Brumbies, Cheika asked McCutcheon to crank up the combativeness and he delivered; working hard on the ball, making noisy tackles and getting in a few of those unnecessary - but totally necessary - shoving matches. I love that physical confrontation and challenge. That's what I love about rugby. Whether it be me running at you, or you running at me. I look forward to it," McCutcheon said. As a team we're getting better at it. A bush-bred work ethic - McCutcheon grew up on the land in Narromine - saw the former Aussie Sevens captain outperform Michael Hooper in the stats. McCutcheon, 25, has been setting standards off the field at NSW too, in his role as the inaugural Waratahs club captain. Along with team captain Dave Dennis, McCutcheon is the team's advocate to front-office and a key role, under Cheika's imprimatur, has been squaring up the Tahs' off-field behavioural standards. "It is not about punishment, it's a tap on the shoulder, 'C'mon mate, you're better than that'," he says. But the boys are pretty good to be honest. I haven't had to do much of it. McCutcheon shows his pride in the Waratahs boldly; as witnessed by him clutching his Waratahs badge for the crowd when running off late in the Blues game. "We are playing for them, we are playing for NSW," he said.