OLLY Morgan faces a make-or-break pre-season in a final bid to win his 15-month knee ligament rehabilitation fight.
Gloucester boss Nigel Davies admits Morgan has reached the point in his recovery where he will either kick on and make a full playing return next season – or face the most difficult decision about his long-term future.
Rugby director Davies hopes the accomplished full-back can accelerate his progress and scale the final hurdle, to return to Kingsholm action next term, for the first time since January 2012.
Morgan suffered lateral collateral and anterior cruciate ligament tears in Gloucester's 21-15 Worcester Warriors defeat at Sixways on January 7, 2012.
That damage would have been severe enough in isolation, but the two-cap England man also ruptured the popliteus, the muscle that locks and unlocks the knee joint, the posterolateral chamber and the biceps tendon.
Ex-Millfield School pupil Morgan had hoped to make a playing return before the end of this season, though boss Davies had anticipated him missing the entire campaign as early as November.
Morgan had initially expected to miss between six and nine months in battling back to full fitness after surgery.
But an infection and two further operations have more than doubled his rehab time.
Gloucester start pre-season training on June 27, with strength and conditioning boss Paddy Anson planning a tougher regime than ever.
And Davies admits that will prove the pivotal time for Morgan.
The Gloucester boss explained: "He's going to start the pre-season and see how he goes. He's got to a point in his recovery, and we'll see if we can kick him on now really.
"We won't be able to tell exactly where he is until he starts stepping things up in pre-season.
"We're mindful of his situation as is he, but he's got to a point in his recovery and now it's about really seeing whether he can kick on, and potentially play again.
"So we'll just have to wait and see in the early part of pre-season, so he'll keep having his rehab and working hard, to be in the best possible shape to do that."
Morgan's continued fitness battle leaves a question-mark over Gloucester's recruitment plans for next term.
Former Newport Dragons full-back Martyn Thomas' one-year Gloucester deal has expired – but Davies has still not yet completely ruled out offering the 26-year-old a new contract. And that clearly depends on Morgan.
Rob Cook's hugely impressive first Premiership season leaves the 28-year-old former Cornish Pirate as the man rightfully in possession of Gloucester's 15 shirt.
But it remains to be seen whether he will be competing with Morgan, Thomas or even another full-back recruit next season.
Luckless Morgan suffered a dislocated shoulder in Gloucester's 41-41 Premiership thriller against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on April 16, 2011.
He fought back to fitness after surgery for the start of the 2011/12 campaign – only to break down in just his 16th appearance of that campaign.
Tigers' behemoth Italian tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni flattened Morgan after he had claimed a trademark high ball under huge pressure in that howitzer draw in April 2011.
Had any Gloucester team-mate been within ten metres of Morgan at the time, he would have been able to offload the ball when he rode Castrogiovanni's initial hit.
Forced to ride the tackle and fight to retain possession though, Morgan was flipped into the ground on his shoulder, hence the dislocation.
After opening the Gloucester scoring with a well-taken try, that was a frustratingly premature end to a season when the Cherry and Whites made the league play-offs.
Morgan's serious knee injury at Worcester was similarly surprising – the product of a freak and innocuous-looking twist as his studs caught in the turf.
The dependable full-back spun off his feet, tearing multiple ligaments – and has not played since.
