Welsh Rugby
Wales turn to Poland camp for edge
ESPN Staff
October 13, 2012
Wales' Leigh Halfpenny slots the winning penalty, Ireland v Wales, Six Nations, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, February 5, 2012
Leigh Halfpenny is set for a gruelling few months with Wales © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Players/Officials: Leigh Halfpenny
Teams: Cardiff Blues | Wales

Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny hopes that another gruelling Poland training camp will give them an edge as they seek a southern hemisphere scalp in November.

The Six Nations champions will play Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Samoa in their autumn series, having fallen short of a rare away win over the Wallabies in June.

Prior to last year's Rugby World Cup, and their Grand Slam campaign, Wales utilised cryotherapy chambers at their Polish base to boost fitness and build squad togetherness, and Halfpenny hopes there will be more of the same this time around despite the daunting task ahead.

"When we heard we were going back to Poland all those memories came flooding back," Halfpenny told the Western Mail. "The first time before the World Cup was when I was coming back from injury at the time.

"It was all rehabilitation for me and about getting my foot right. It was a massive help and helped me get fit in time for the World Cup.

"It has worked for us because going to Poland before the World Cup and the Grand Slam was a key factor for those campaigns. It is tough mentally and physically, but I am raring to get into things."

Halfpenny endured a stop-start few weeks to kick-off his season with the Blues due to injury, but is now fit and firing ahead of their Heineken Cup campaign and Wales' upcoming internationals.

"I had a bump on the head last week, but I have been given the OK to play again," he said. "The ankle is also coming back to full fitness now. It is still sore at times, but I am close to 100%. I am looking forward to getting a run of games under my belt. It was a bit frustrating with the injuries at the beginning of the season and not something I was hoping for, but hopefully I can now get going."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.