Rugby World Cup: Mitchell sees his big dream come true

Classy operator Drew Mitchell is back on the Aussie bench for the Irish clash. Photo / Getty Images

If you're after a feel-good story out of the Australian camp at this World Cup, look no further than Drew Mitchell.

The 27-year-old outside back was set fair for the tournament until a nasty ankle dislocation, combined with a broken bone, playing for the Waratahs against the Reds last April seemed to have derailed his hopes of a second cup campaign.

It was his first major injury, and the timing seemed particularly poor, but the Sydney-born wing/fullback, who scored seven tries in his five matches at the 2007 tournament, kept his chin up.

Yesterday, he was named on the Australian bench for the clutch game against Ireland at Eden Park on Saturday night.

Relief? Delight? Huge satisfaction? You bet.

"It's obviously been a pretty long road and it's pretty satisfying to be in the position I'm in," he said.

Mitchell admitted there were "a number of times" he thought his cup dream was gone - "the first being five seconds after it happened".

However after having MRI scans on the ankle he received his first bit of positive encouragement.

"The surgeon said ... 'you haven't done it as badly as you could'.

"To get through those long, tedious days I really had to hang onto the fact I was a chance."

His most recent test was on Australia's end-of-year European tour last year, when he grabbed three tries in the Wallabies' 59-16 tonking of France in Paris.

Mitchell had 80 minutes, and two tries, for the Australian Barbarians against Canada last month, which helped to get his match legs moving again.

"It's been a bit of a journey and one I've never had to contemplate before.

"I'm somewhat proud of myself to get back to this position. Now I've got to get out and do a job on the weekend as well as part of the group."

Mitchell, with 55 tests behind him, gets the spot vacated by James O'Connor's elevation to the starting XV replacing another injury concern, Digby Ioane. Ioane has had an operation on a broken right thumb but remains in the squad.

"He will return," Australian coach Robbie Deans said.

"It's just a matter of following his rehab and he'll re-enter when he's good to go."

But Deans is pleased that Mitchell's determination to make it back has had a good outcome.

"It's great for Drew," Deans said. "And it's a good story for him to have got himself into the squad. It's a big achievement."