Super Rugby
Pat McCabe cleared to resume contact training
ESPN Staff
December 23, 2013
Pat McCabe broke his neck against the British & Irish Lions in Brisbane © Getty Images
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Pat McCabe has been cleared to return to contact training after two serious neck injuries, with Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham saying he is ''very, very happy'' with the news.

McCabe first broke his neck on the 2012 Wallabies end-of-year tour of Europe, and he missed the latter half of 2013 after repeating the dose in the first Test against the British & Irish Lions in June, but the Brumbies coach told Fairfax Media that ''Patty's scan came back positively".

"I don't have the exact details, but it's positive news," Larkham told Fairfax Media, noting the Brumbies medical staff would continue to monitor McCabe .

''We start his contact work from January with an eye on potentially playing that first game [of the Brumbies' Super Rugby season, against Queensland Reds in Canberra]. I guess it's going to be an ongoing thing, but we've got clearance from the doctor to start contact. I'd say it's something we're always going to be conscious of.''

McCabe has been working on his speed and skills while awaiting clearance to resume contact work, and Larkham said the centre now was as quick as he was when he first arrived at the Brumbies five years ago. Larkham also told Fairfax that McCabe had been filling in at No.10 on occasions while Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano were in Europe with the Wallabies, saying "he's been very evasive in training ... agile, he's been very skilful".

Larkham said he planned to start McCabe at inside centre until Christian Leali'ifano was fit to resume after ankle surgery.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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