Ross Rennie visits US knee specialist in bid for regular rugby

ROSS Rennie is back in the USA this week for a follow-up session with rehabilitation specialist Bill Knowles in the hope that it may pave the way to a more regular berth for Edinburgh this season.

The 24-year-old has suffered with a debilitating knee injury, first triggered when he made his debut for Scotland against Ireland in the spring of 2008.

He returned to the Edinburgh team against Bath in December last year, made a try-scoring return to the Magners League action against Cardiff the next month and played in the Heineken Cup defeat of Stade Francais at Murrayfield.

But it came with the rider that his knee was never going to be what it was and that he would require longer recovery than other players after each game. Rennie was not suddenly immune to other standard knocks either and he featured in just three more games over the next three months and missed the crucial final games of the season against Ulster and Leinster, that ended the club's hopes of reaching the play-offs.

Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat is upbeat about his openside flanker, but reiterated that he would be guided by medical experts to protect Rennie's long-term future.

He stated: "Ross is in very good shape. He's out in America right now seeing Bill Knowles (surgeon], but the positive thing is that he's in really good condition; he's not going there because he has a problem.

"We just wanted to support Ross and let Bill have a look at him now that he's back playing. He's had a good pre-season, everything's going well for him and Bill will help advise us as to where he's about in terms of how much he can be involved and play.

"We want Ross to have a long career and will follow medical advice and manage him properly. Bill is a top man in his field. He saw Ross when he had a lot of his problems and helped to get him back, and it makes sense to let him see Ross again now."