Tough break: Drew Mitchell goes down in pain against the Reds, but hopes to be fit for the World Cup

DREW MITCHELL is aiming to return from injury in time from the World Cup.

The Australia wing dislocated his ankle and broke a bone in his leg while playing for the Waratahs in a Super Rugby match against the Reds at the weekend, and the initial prognosis ruled him out for around six months. That meant playing at New Zealand 2011 this autumn was out of the question.

However, after consulting with his doctors the 27-year-old now believes he can recover in three months – and has set his sights on making the Wallabies’ World Cup squad.

“The indication I got is 12 to 14 weeks – it’s much better news than it could have been,” Mitchell said. “If I’d been looking at the World Cup as not being an option at all, sometimes the motivation might not have been as high as it could be.

“I’ll make sure that whatever day-to-day rehab stuff is required, I will do. It will be tedious and boring, but if that tedious and boring work is going to put me in a position to hopefully be looked at for World Cup selection, it will be worth it.

“I was immediately trying to work out how many weeks it would be before I could possibly return. It has put me in a better place than what it could have. Also, ever since the last World Cup when we were eliminated in the quarter-finals (by England), from that moment I have done everything I can to get back for the next World Cup.”

Mitchell will be hoping that there are no setbacks with his recovery so he is fit enough to play some part in the last three rounds of the Tri-Nations. If not, he may have to rely on playing club rugby in Sydney to push his World Cup claims.