Saints Q&A: Tom Vickers talks to fit-again England forward Curtis Langdon

Having required shoulder surgery last summer, the England hooker has been unable to grace the Gardens pitch so far during this campaign, instead having to occupy an occasional co-commentary role with BBC Radio Northampton.

That is about to change though as Langdon has now returned to full fitness following a lengthy recovery process.

He made his comeback from the bench in the PREM Rugby Cup semi-final defeat at Exeter Chiefs earlier this month and is now looking forward to a first Gardens appearance of the season when the Gallagher PREM returns with a fixture against Newcastle Red Bulls on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

On Tuesday afternoon, Langdon was again in the stands as he spoke to this publication about overcoming the longest spell on the sidelines he's had during his career to date.

The full question and answer session is here…

Q: Welcome back, Curtis. How enjoyable was it to make your return at Exeter after such a long time out?

A: "Obviously, result aside, it was good - I really enjoyed it.

"I kind of thought it would feel strange because it's the longest time I've gone without playing a game of rugby since I was about seven, but as soon as I got out there I was just excited to be back.

"As soon as I got going, I felt like I'd played the week before. It just felt like normal.

"There was lots of excitement and it was just good to be back out there.

"The result didn't go our way but I felt good.

"Sometimes you come back from an injury like that and you're maybe carrying your shoulder a little bit, but there was none of that, which shows what a good job the physio team and staff have done here with getting me back out on the field.

"I had full confidence going into that game and felt good, which was really pleasing."

Q: How tough was it for you to be out for so long, considering how much you love playing?

A: "It was tough.

"I enjoy the build-up throughout the week to the game at the weekend, so when you take that away, it's difficult mentally to come in and motivate yourself to put in loads of work when you've not got that reward at the end of the week to be able to play.

"I set myself goals throughout my time injured and was chasing getting back as soon as I could.

"It was tough mentally because there was no timeline on my injury with it being a nerve injury. A lot of it was hope for the best and hope that it comes back as soon as possible.

"With a knee injury or ankle injury, you know you're going to be back within three months or six months but it wasn't like that so it was tough coming here on a game day with fans asking me when I was going to be back.

"At the start, I was saying just before Christmas, then it was just after Christmas, then it was hopefully the last group game of the PREM Cup, but I think I was just setting myself those targets to help myself mentally.

"But we got there in the end and I got through it so I'm just happy to feel fresh now for this run-in to the season with some exciting games to come.

"Feeling fresh at this part of the season is pretty rare. I've not had that since I've been at the club because you play a lot of big games before Christmas and then after Christmas you're probably carrying some knocks, whereas I'm coming into these big games after Christmas feeling fresh off the back of what has felt like the longest pre-season I've had.

"I'm just excited to play in these games."

Q: What did you have to distract yourself with while you were out injured and who helped you through it?

A: "I'd say my girlfriend, Emily, has had a lot of patience with me throughout the time I've been injured!

"I've been playing a lot of darts as well – got really into my darts!

"I had my surgery and I was throwing left-handed for a little bit, then I went back to right-handed and I've been going to competitions with (fellow Saints hooker) Craig Wright.

"We play a lot at the club here and then I've been going to competitions once a week, which has been good just to take your mind off of rugby for a little bit.

"I've been going to a club at Earls Barton where they do a darts tournament on a Wednesday night. The level is way too good for me and I'm often finishing bottom of the groups. If I pick up one win I'm happy.

"But it's been good fun, there are some good blokes who go there and they don't know much about rugby so it's quite relaxed.

"I've enjoyed putting my mind into trying to improve my darts while I've not been able to do anything on the field.

"Me and Craig have been doing a lot of that together. He's a bit better than me, to be fair.

"We had a Saints darts competition a few months back and Craig was on the other side of the draw so we met in the final.

"I'm not bad compared to the other lads at the club but in the comps I've been going to, I've been getting battered.

"In the final at the club, me and Craig got there and Tom Bullough, head of performance, set up a darts board in the gym.

"Craig's better than me, we play a lot and he beats me the majority of the time, but I beat Craig in the final so I'm actually Northampton Saints darts champion. It's the first trophy I've won this season and hopefully I'll be able to win a few more."

Q: That's a good line - you can tell you've been involved with the media side of things lately... Speaking of which, how has it been doing some co-commentary for BBC Radio Northampton while you've been out injured?

A: "I've enjoyed doing the radio stuff. It's quite nice sitting up the top, getting a view of the pitch and you watch it well when you're commentating on it.

"Graham (McKechnie) and Lennie (Newman) have been really good with giving me the opportunity to do that and they make commentating on the game easy as well.

"This season, being injured, it's tough, but one of the things that's helped is how well the boys have been going on the pitch. We've had some good results so on those dark days when I'm not doing much, coming in and everyone being positive because of how well it's going on the field has helped.

"There have been some really good games I've commentated on that I've enjoyed as well.

"I'd obviously rather be out on the pitch but if you'd have listened to me on the radio, I've been getting quite excited with some of the games we've had this season so I'm just buzzing to be able to contribute on the pitch myself now."

Q: You've not picked a bad time to get back in action, have you?

A: "Exactly. We put up in the meeting room this week our next block of games and they're all big games.

"It's the first PREM game back after a block off this weekend, then we go to Tottenham to play Saracens, which is going to be a big attendance, then we're into Europe and knockout games.

"It's an exciting time to be back and these are the games we want to play in.

"Like I say, I'm just happy the boys have gone so well at the start of the season so we've got lots to play for now this side of Christmas."

Q: I guess last year's European final feels a long time ago now, but you must have been struggling with the injury going into that match?

A: "I picked the injury up in the game against Saracens the week before the Champions Cup final.

"I kind of didn't do anything the week of the final apart from I was in a recovery chamber, doing lots of stuff with Matt Lee, our physio.

"Then, on the morning of the final, we went into the barn at the hotel we were staying at, The Vale, and made sure I could throw, which I could, just about. Chunya (Munga) ran at me with a pad a couple of times, I tackled him, we said we'd give it a go and I think I got through off of adrenaline.

"It was tough to take not winning that final because I felt like we were in a good place as a squad

"We had a lot of broken bodies going into the game but we came close so it gives us confidence to know we could go a step further this year and hopefully win the Champions Cup.

"That was my last game I played for Saints until that Exeter one earlier this month and the Bordeaux one in the final was my 50th game for Saints so it's crazy to think I've been out that long and that had been my last game.

"A lot of lads have put that to the back of their mind now and are focusing on what's to come this year."

Q: Do you feel like the squad's even stronger this year?

A: "I think so.

"With how well we've gone in the PREM Cup, it's shown that boys who haven't played a great deal have stepped up and are now putting their hand up to be selected for these PREM games and these important games in the run-in.

"We've got the depth so if we pick up injuries, there's lads who are capable of coming in and doing more than a good job, play well and we can win big games.

"We're in a good place to push on and make sure we win a trophy this year because we were disappointed not to get a trophy last year."