Jordan Uelese re-signs with Rugby Australia and Melbourne Rebels after overcoming cancer scare

‘It might be cancer’. The word shook Wallabies hooker Jordan Uelese to the core and for two weeks at the start of this year, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever step foot on a rugby field again.

Jordan Uelese hopes to put a trying year behind him.

A cancer scare rocked Jordan Uelese’s world in January.

Eight months later, he has signed a two-year extension with Australian rugby and Melbourne Rebels, determined to be part of a revival for the XV-man code here.

But for two weeks at the start of this year, the Wallabies hooker wasn’t sure if he’d ever step foot on a rugby field again.

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Jordan Uelese reveals he had radiation X-rays on his knee to check for tumours.

“After the World Cup I had some niggles, and there was a bit of a scare there, the doctors thought there was a bit of cancer in my knee joint,” Uelese said.

“I had some radiation X-rays to check to see if there were any tumours in there, I saw a lot of specialists.

“When you’re 23 and you hear that, it comes as a shock.

“There was some abnormality in the knee joint, and around my hammy, so the specialists wanted to take a closer look.

“When they told me it might be cancer, I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t tell anyone except my best mates, I didn’t want people to think it was more serious than what it was.

“Thankfully I got the all clear two weeks later and it’s all good now, it’s nothing too serious. Sometimes a lot of wear and tear in the knee can look like that, but I was just grateful to get cleared.

“I rehabbed for a couple of weeks and then had my first game against the Highlanders.”

Uelese has committed himself to the Aussie cause.

Uelese starts at hooker for Melbourne in Saturday’s crucial match against NSW Waratahs at Leichhardt Oval, with the Rebels seeking to secure a place in their first finals series.

Already capped nine times for Australia, and with a strong all-round game, Uelese had interest from overseas clubs at a time the future of rugby here has been under immense scrutiny.

“I believe in Australian rugby so much, even though there is a lot of negativity around,” Uelese said.

“There’s so much talent here.

“I try to block out the opinions of people on the outside.

“How low can we go? We can only go up from here.

“We talk about being in a rebuilding phase, well I want to be a part of that.

Jordan Uelese leads the Rebels pack on Saturday night into battle against the Tahs.

“People have based their opinion of Australian rugby on the past five years, but look at the great history we’ve had in terms of winning two World Cups, Bledisloes, so the new generation, it’s up to us to bring the Wallabies back to the pedestal it should be on.”

While he was born in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, Uelese was raised in Melbourne and considers the Rebels home.

“Having the opportunity to play the game I love in my home town was up there in my decision making,” he said.

“Being close to family, and also ambitions to carry on, coming off the World Cup last year I really wanted to build off that performance and make a name for myself in Australia.

“I’m only 23, I still have a lot to offer. I missed a bit of Super Rugby, the last couple of months I’ve finally got some footy under my belt so that made the decision easier.”