Rob Horne on "bittersweet" testimonial & chronic pain
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Former Wallaby centre Rob Horne is learning to live with chronic pain caused by the paralysed right arm that forced him to retire from the game.
Horne will be honoured this weekend in the east midlands derby between Northampton and Leicester at Twickenham where he will deliver the match ball in front of an expected crowd of 40,000.
💬 "He sacrificed every single week and put it in for the team. We're going to give everything we've got for Horney on Saturday."@Courtney_Lawes can't wait to take the field at Twickenham in honour of teammate Rob Horne this weekend pic.twitter.com/NpnAgEJJwv
— 😇 Northampton Saints | The Derby@Twickenham, 6 Oct (@SaintsRugby) October 2, 2018
The 29-year-old was forced into an early retirement after he sustained a career-ending injury on his debut Saints captain in the fixture against the Tigers at Welford Road in April earlier this year.
Once exploratory surgery revealed that all five nerves servicing the arm had been detached from his spinal cord, he underwent a nerve transfer from his ribs into his triceps.
"Essentially it was just for some pain reduction. That's the goal. So we'll see," Horne said.
"With most nerve injuries there's a constant, chronic pain but saying that, you find ways to deal with it.
"My capacity to deal with the pain has grown hugely since the day of the injury to where I am today.
"Your brain's a pretty amazing thing.
"I suppose that's what the life-changing nature of it - you're forced to confront things and you're forced to operate in different ways.
"It's about living with a paralysis and promoting the fact that you still find ways - it's not a barrier."
There's a new way to help raise funds for Rob Horne ahead of The Derby
— 😇 Northampton Saints | The Derby@Twickenham, 6 Oct (@SaintsRugby) October 2, 2018
A host of amazing prizes have kindly been donated by people closest to the Saintsman - have a browse at the link below and place a bid!
👉🏼https://t.co/A0FR1SI1Qh pic.twitter.com/1hFuA1tfIv
Horne is prepared for the "bittersweet" experience of being present at Twickenham having returned to the UK for the occasion.
"How I'll feel on Saturday is something I've thought about a little bit," he said.
"It's maybe bittersweet in a way. To be recognised in what is one of the great venues in world rugby.
"Just for my name to be attached to what is such a huge game for the club is special."
Horne made 34 appearances for the Wallabies from 2010-17 and joined Northampton in 2017, quickly becoming a favourite with Saints fans.
"My life has changed dramatically. To live with paralysis is something that is very new. I'm still learning ways to do things," Horne said.
"It's funny how the body is. If one thing is taken away from you you become pretty innovative and you work out ways to achieve things."
😂😂😂
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) October 1, 2018
No holds barred as Little and Large tackle @SaintsRugby and @LeicesterTigers players ahead of The Derby 😇 vs 🐯
Click here to Donate to Rob Horne and his Family: https://t.co/FYA4p2WP2P pic.twitter.com/Om2zknBccT
Story via: Rugbycomau