ABU DHABI // Two former Abu Dhabi Harlequins teammates will set off from opposite points of the globe and meet at London this weekend ahead of a UK road trip that will take in around 1,000 kilometres and three Rugby World Cup matches.
Mike Ballard, the former front-row forward who broke his back and lost sensation in his legs while playing in a cup final for Harlequins in April 2014, will arrive from the United States for his first visit to Britain.
There he will meet his old club colleague turned chaperone for the week, Ed Lewsey, who leaned on some well-placed contacts to secure tickets for some of the most sought-after matches in the competition.
The duo will take in the crunch Pool A games between Australia and Fiji at Cardiff, then England against Wales at Twickenham.
More pertinently for Ballard, though, is the first fixture between his country, United States, and Samoa at Brighton.
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At the invitation of Nigel Melville, the chief executive of USA Rugby, the plan is for Ballard to meet the team after the game.
“I would never have been able to sort out a trip like this, but Ed has arranged everything from tickets, lodging and even a van,” Ballard said.
“It should be a pretty solid Euro trip. I have no idea what to expect with the matches.
“I’ve never been to Europe before, so I’m looking forward to seeing the fans and all of their national pride.
“It will also be a good chance to meet people in the spinal cord injury community and hear about their experiences.”
Aside from the matches and sightseeing, Ballard is scheduled to give a talk to school children about spinal injuries, as well as meet other players who have suffered injuries similar to his.
“After the accident I remember Mike saying he was interested in going to the World Cup,” said Lewsey, who is making the most of the Eid holiday to make the trip.
“After everything happened, it dawned on me it would be a great experience - and obviously I wouldn’t have minded going myself.”
After reuniting with one of his former teammates next week, Ballard can look forward to an extended reunion with many of the rest of them later this year.
Having done his rehabilitation at his home town in Michigan, he will return to work at the New England Centre for Children in Abu Dhabi at the start of 2016.
He plans to be here in time to support Harlequins in their defence of the Dubai Sevens title in December.
His visit to the tournament last year was the first time he had flown since returning to the US for emergency surgery following the accident in April last year.
“To get back into the real world, I am coaching American football and substitute teaching at my old high school,” said Ballard, who first tried rugby after arriving in the UAE in 2011 as a means to meet people and get in shape.
“The rehab has been slow and steady. I’ve taken all of the exercises and moved them outside. For aqua therapy, I swim across a lake.
“I usually walk (with the aid of leg braces) before football practice and then lift with the team after. I’ve also been logging lots of miles on my hand cycle.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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