No higher honour': Yeo still eyeing World Cup despite pec pain

Panthers and Kangaroos skipper Isaah Yeo is optimistic he will line up in the upcoming Rugby League World Cup despite suffering a pectoral injury that requires surgery. 

The lock initially feared his season was over when he ruptured his pectoral in a Round 23 loss to the Warriors.

Yeo, however, opted to delay surgery and made a shock return in Round 27 and has his sights on a sixth grand final as Penrith prepare to play the Knights in Sunday's preliminary final at Accor Stadium.

Once his club commitments are wrapped up, the 31-year-old will make a decision on his fitness for the World Cup, with Yeo eager to lead the Kangaroos on home soil. 

"I'd like to think not," Yeo said when asked if he would miss the World Cup. "If I'm playing well enough form-wise, and I get the green light from the club that I can delay the op, that would be in their hands because it might affect the start of next year.

"In terms of how it's feeling, it's not a pain thing. If I feel like I'm in good enough form and I can go and contribute for my country, there's no higher honour. I've had a couple of open and honest conversations with [coach Kevin Walters]. I'll make a call hopefully in two weeks' time."

The fact Yeo is even in this position is nearly a miracle in itself. 

Ruptured pectorals typically require surgery and 3-4 months on the sidelines. Even Yeo thought his season was over when he suffered the injury on August 7. Instead, he returned to the field in just four weeks. 

Penrith medical staff consulted with surgeon Dr Al Young, who gave the lock a four-week window to push for an unlikely comeback before a decision needed to be made on surgery.

Yeo ticked every box along the way before making a successful return in the Round 27 clash with the Tigers. 

"Talking to the surgeon to get it all booked, he said we have a four-week window to see how it settles down," Yeo said.

"I thought it would be mad not to. It already feels like it was up in flames, so why would you not give yourself a chance?

"It was always in the back of my mind when I first came back to training how it was going to feel, because obviously you wanted it to feel a certain way. Since then, it's given me nothing but confidence.

"I was a bit nervous before the Tigers game because I didn't want to go out and let anyone down. That's why I played that game, because I didn't want to do that in a semi and cruel us with a sub. Off the back of that, I felt a lot better going into the finals."