Blitzboks stalwart Kyle Brown admits that he thought his career could be over after suffering two serious knee injuries in back-to-back seasons.

Brown tore knee ligaments in the Singapore leg of the 2017-18 World Rugby Sevens Series, which was very similar to the injury he suffered at the Cape Town Sevens in 2016.

‘To be honest, I thought that was it, as the idea was that I would call it a day if I came through the season unscathed,’ Brown commented when recalling that fateful day last April.

As he started his recovery process, however, his willpower and desire to beat the odds grew stronger and stronger.

Ultimately, his hard work in rehabilitation finally came to fruition – a second time – when Blitzboks coach Neil Powell recently named him into the squad to travel to Dubai for the opening leg of the 2018-19 World Rugby Sevens Series.

‘It was an incredible feeling,’ Brown said. ‘The medical staff and our management were wonderful. We had set the challenge to play again come Dubai and I am very pleased that I could make it.

‘Being back in the fold gives me an ideal opportunity to spend more time on the field with this incredible bunch of people and to do something with them we all love – throwing the rugby ball around a bit.’

Photo: Gianluigi Guercia/Getty Images