WIGAN'S injury jinxed stand off Nigel Wright is set to resume full training next week - ready to face Judgement Day.

That comes on Boxing Day with the special Christmas Challenge against Super League champions St Helens at Central Park with the return at Knowsley Road on New Year's Day.

And after four operations and a 14-month injury nightmare, the 22-year-old is aiming to make up for lost time.

The ex-Wakefield star, who was the game's costliest teenager when Wigan splashed out £140,000 to land him three years ago, has targeted the Saints game to launch his bid for Super League glory.

Luckless Nigel, who snapped ligaments in his right ankle against Warrington last September, said: "The injury has been a bad one and there have been times when I doubted if this would every play again.

"The ankle ligaments didn't just snap but became detached from the bone. The swelling was so bad that it was 10 days before the hospital could even operate.

"They set my leg and then I had to have a blister the size of a tennis ball removed from under the plaster.

"I started light training the following March and had two games with the 'A' team before undergoing a manipulative operation.

"I came back and lasted 60 minutes of the first team game against Castleford but the following day I could hardly walk and I had to go back into hospital to have pieces of calcified bone removed.

"I was really down. My hopes of playing for England in the World Cup had been shattered along with my dreams of making the Great Britain squad to tour Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand.

"I didn't think I would ever play again but RL is my life and I just couldn't give it all up.

"I've been at Wigan three years and so far only played 15 matches. I owe a great deal not only to myself but to the club.

He added: "I start full training next week and I'm determined to play in the Boxing Day match against Saints and win a regular place for the Super League season.

"With the advent of the World club championship it give all players a chance to prove themselves on a world stage. I've missed so much and I'm determined to make up for lost time.

"It's been so frustrating just watching the lads play and not being able to help them."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.