IF anyone ever questioned the toughness of rugby league players then take a look at Leigh Leopards star David Armstrong.
Despite rupturing his ACL, Armstrong went on to play three-and-a-half games for the Leopards during the 2025 Super League season before getting a scan that showed the worst news possible.
A nine-month lay-off was predicted with the 24-year-old wheeled into surgery almost immediately.
After suffering the injury back in June 2025, Armstrong has approximately two months left of recovery and rehab, and now the flying fullback has spoken on the injury and recovery for the first time.
“It’s good to be back around the boys training. I was stuck in the gym for quite a while not being able to run or do anything on the pitch,” Armstrong told League Express.
“It was tough, I know it sounds cliche but you don’t realise how much you miss something until it’s gone and I found that out the hard way with this injury.
“I probably wasn’t mentally prepared for what was in store for the nine months. I haven’t had a long-term injury like that so everything was new to me.
“I had to take every day as it came because it was so different. Being away from the group and the footy side of it as well was mentally draining.
“My knee felt sweet so I was going with the flow and thought it was ok. It wasn’t getting better so I ended up getting a scan and it back as a ruptured ACL.”
So what did Armstrong think when he got the diagnosis?
“I was in disbelief really and I didn’t know what to think. I knew there was something wrong but I didn’t know how serious it was until I got told.
“Next thing I know I’m getting surgery a couple of weeks so it all happened really quickly. I’m not sure if playing on it made it worse.”
On his possible return date, Armstrong said: “If everything goes to plan, it should be the first week of April. Rehab has been up and down every single day.
“One week I will be flying and then the week after some little thing will happen and I will be back at the start.”