FORMER Newport Gwent Dragons centre Ross Wardle is planning on playing with a smile on his face again after returning to the field with Bedwas.

The 25-year-old played for the first time this season when he made his return from knee ligament damage in last month’s Principality Premiership, Tier One encounter with Merthyr.

While the 40-20 defeat was one that many at Bridge Field were keen to forget, it was mission accomplished for Wardle.

“It wasn’t the best game – I touched the ball one and made no tackles! – but I just wanted to get through it without getting injured,” he said.

“I had a good turnaround for an ACL injury but I was a bit wary and had only been expecting to play about 10 minutes but there was an injury in the warm-up.

“It was good to be back and the nerves about whether my knee would cope are gone now.”

Wardle ruptured knee ligaments playing for the Dragons in the Singha Premiership 7s at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park in July.

He finished his professional contract, which was set to end this summer, early to concentrate on his career as a pharmacist and is now looking to start loving his rugby again.

The Cardiffian had no hesitation in returning to Bedwas, where he made first shone to earn his 2012 chance with the Dragons.

“I haven’t really enjoyed the last couple of years because of injuries and then not getting picked; I was out of favour and stopped enjoying the game,” admitted Wardle, who played 50 times for the Dragons.

“Funnily enough at the start of pre-season I was starting to enjoy it again and I was the fittest and best I’d felt ever only to get injured in the 7s.

“But that’s life and now I just want to get back to enjoying my rugby and when that happens I’ll play better.”

Wardle, who made his Bedwas debut against Pontypool in August 2010, brought an end to life as a full-time rugby player to become a manager at Lloyds Pharmacy.

“It’s a long-term job while in rugby there are ups and downs and you never know what is going to happen,” he said.

“I’m not saying I wouldn’t go back (to being a pro), that would be a lie, but only if I am enjoying it again because I wasn’t in a good place last year.”

Wardle starts in midfield in the Foster’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Bridgend this afternoon (kick-off 2.30pm).

Bedwas were runners-up in last year’s tournament and a success against the Ravens at their Brewery Field home would set up a final against the winners of Wednesday’s fixture between Carmarthen Quins and Merthyr.

Newport Gwent Dragons lock Joe Davies is unavailable but the visitors (the venue was decided by a coin toss after Cross Keys’ Pandy Park was not able to accommodate the fixture) field a team of Premiership regulars

Tom Bell gets a chance in Davies’ absence while prop Brynley Toms deputises for the unavailable Matthew Pettit.

Bridgend are in Tier Two of the Premiership but qualified from their Challenge Cup group that contained Neath, Cardiff and Aberavon.

Bedwas: A Bramwell, P Lewis, R Wardle, M Callow, M John, R Powell, N Griffiths (captain), B Toms, A Rees, C Budgen, G Edmunds, T Bell, J Richards, G Lee, R Blake. Replacements: R Hutcherson, D Preece, AN Other, A Waite, N Hudd, L Crane, J Dixon, C Edwards.