Rugby Psychology

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Session Notes The Purist
Addressing:

Comeback Dread

The psychological barrier when returning from significant injury, where the body has healed but the mind hasn't caught up. Players report their first contact back feeling "like starting over," with months of rehabilitation creating hyperawareness of the previously injured area.

How The Purist Can Overcome Comeback Dread in Rugby

Posted on December 9, 2025 ~ min read
📋
For: The Purist athletes in Rugby
Focus: Session Notes - Comeback Dread
Read Time: ~9 min
Session Notes December 9, 2025
Profile: The Purist
Sport: Rugby
Challenge: Comeback Dread

Your body healed six weeks ago. The physio cleared you. The scans came back clean. So why does your stomach drop every time you think about that first contact session?

In rugby, Comeback Dread is the psychological freeze that occurs when physical recovery outpaces mental readiness. Your body can tackle. Your mind screams that it cannot. For intrinsically motivated, self-referenced athletes, this creates a specific kind of torment. You built your identity around mastering the craft of rugby through patient, analytical work. Now your own analytical mind works against you, cataloguing every possible re-injury scenario with uncomfortable precision.

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Vladimir Novkov

M.A. Social Psychology | ISSA Elite Trainer | Expert in Sport Psychology for Athlete Development

My mission is to bridge the gap between mind and body, helping athletes and performers achieve a state of synergy where peak performance becomes a natural outcome of who they are.

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