NSW Waratahs captain Jake Gordon is ready to throw himself back into Rugby after spending the end of 2023 on the sidelines with a spate of concussions.
Gordon has lined up a move to French club Toulon on a joker deal, set to partner Noah Lolesio in the halves.
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It came after the Wallaby missed selection for Eddie Jones' initial Wallabies squad.
However, his deal was terminated just days after arriving in France after a series of head knocks.
The catalyst of Gordon's issues came in round 15 after suffering a blow four minutes into his stint off the bench against Moana Pasifika.
The scrumhalf was visibly shaken after getting his head in the wrong place trying to make a tackle, ruling him out of the quarter-final.
He returned for the Australia A clash against Tonga, only to be pulled off after another setback.
The symptoms continued once he arrived in France, where the powerhouse club made the call to put his health first.
“It was a little longer than a normal concussion but I was really excited for the opportunity at Toulon and I was gutted that fell through as it filled that gap and disappointment with not making the World Cup," he told Rugby.com.au
“I think what was really important at the time was my health and they were exceptional at looking after me. I saw a number of different people when I was over there. My symptoms weren’t terrible, it just felt like they’d been hanging around for a little bit longer than they should have.
“I’ve seen the best people possible and I’m back to 100% which is the most important thing.”
This made his return to action in Roma even more special, sitting out of the opening trial defeat to the Melbourne Rebels.
He will look to continue his return against the Reds on Saturday as the Waratahs look for their first win of the season.
“I was excited to be back. I missed Rugby, it was probably the longest layoff I had. Obviously not making the World Cup and not going on tour with Australia A and Barbarians and I probably noticed how much I missed playing," he said.
“It was mixed emotions, I was probably a little more nervous than I would be coming back for a game and maybe a little bit emotional because it’s been quite challenging.
“I was happy to be back and despite the result, it’s good to be out there and feel the game day nerves and the stuff you miss.”
