Tom Lynagh is preparing to recommit to Australian rugby as the injury-hit Wallabies playmaker battles a recurring calf injury that's restricted him to just 18 minutes of action this season.
The Queensland Reds and Wallabies flyhalf withstood a battering in his starting Test debut against the British and Irish Lions last year.
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He has barely been sighted since, with a hamstring injury against Argentina setting off a chain reaction of setbacks that continue to keep the No.10 on ice.
Lynagh, speaking on Tuesday at an event marking 500 days until the Rugby World Cup in Australia, said he had torn the soleus muscle in his lower leg twice this year.
He managed 18 minutes off the bench for the Reds in between those tears and is clinging to hope of appearing again for the Super Rugby Pacific side this season.
And, off-contract beyond this season, he allayed concerns he was looking at overseas deals.
"We're close to working something out and there will be an update very soon," Lynagh, 23, said.
"I want to be part of the World Cup; that's a massive factor. It's been really tough ... what I'm dealing with right now. Your job as a rugby player is to be out on the field doing what you can to help your team. I'm starving to get out there, and working as hard as possible."
Lynagh, targeted by the Lions and concussed again against Argentina last year, has instead spent time in the gym future-proofing his body.
"I knew it was going to happen," he said of the Lions' heavy treatment.
"I've put on a quite a bit of muscle, hopefully, and every time I've got on field I've felt way better, stronger, fitter, faster more efficient in general.
"Hopefully I can get back and have a good crack over the next couple of years."
Reds teammate Carter Gordon, Western Force's Ben Donaldson and ACT Brumbies bolter Declan Meredith have all made their case to lead the Wallabies while Lynagh has been sidelined.
But current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt, who showed his faith in the UK-raised talent when he picked him to face the Lions, has said Lynagh won't need huge minutes under his belt to push for a Test recall.
Lynagh and father Michael are the only Australian father and son to both play against the Lions and another box could be ticked if he's selected for next year's home World Cup.
Standing next to the Webb Ellis Cup his dad won in 1991, Tom said only once had the Lynagh family revelled in Michael's heroics.
"It would mean everything to me; he's my idol, I look up to him and ... try and be like him, on the field and off the field," Lynagh said.
"(But) we don't talk rugby at home around the table; he never talks about his accomplishments.
"(Except) one night he said, 'we're going to watch the World Cup final'.
"He's never watched it back. Me and my brothers, locked us in a room, and we watched the game. That was a cool moment to share with him, but we don't really talk about it."
Lynagh joined former Reds coach and All Blacks World Cup winner Brad Thorn and former Wallabies captain James Horwill to announce the release of the second wave of tickets to next year's showpiece event.
Fans can apply for any of the 52 games at any time in the two-week window, with a ballot system used to allocate tickets for games where demand outstrips supply.
Fans from 135 countries had already purchased the 750,000 pre-sale tickets.
“The Rugby World Cup in Australia will be a highlight of the global sporting calendar in 2027 and further elevate our nation’s status as a leading destination for major international sporting events," RA Chair Dan Herbert said in a statement.
“As the tens of thousands of international fans who attended last year’s British & Irish Lions series will attest, Australia’s world-class stadiums, hospitality and tourism infrastructure combine for an unforgettable experience that should be on every rugby fan’s bucket list.
“And as for our passionate local audiences, no one will ever forget how the nation embraced the 2003 Rugby World Cup – the last time the tournament was played on our shores – and inspired the Wallabies to the very last second of the tournament.
“Whether you’re traveling from abroad or attending locally, we look forward to welcoming you next year to the biggest Rugby World Cup ever.”
