Ben Coulson expects to be out of action until Christmas after his dream trip Down Under was cut short by a broken ankle.

The versatile Worthing back suffered the injury in his fifth game for the Welington club in New Zealand.

But he admits he would love to go back after getting a taste for rugby and life in the southern hemisphere.

Coulson admitted the injury was something of a freak.

He said: "I was running towards the touchline and racing against another guy and I got to the ball first which, with hindsight, was thw wrong thing to do.

"As I fell my ankle was not straight and it took the force of both of us, splitting the bottom of the fibula.

"I was not so much in pain as shock. I don't think it was as painful as tearing ligaments.

"Fortunately they stayed intact. Otherwise I would have been out for a lot longer.

"It's three months since I did it and the break should have knitted fully.

"I am now running straight lines and trying to build up the muscle. I have not set any date to come back but I would hope to be not too far off by Christmas."

Coulson was just about to embark on the second stage of the club competition, in which Wellington would have been fighting to retain their First Division status.

He came across some big names of the New Zealand domestic game and graduated to outside half, or first five-eighth as the Kiwis put it, after games at full back and wing.

He added: "I thought I was starting to play really well. We managed to stay up but I would have loved to have played in the second round.

"It was tough going in the first stage because we were up against the strongest sides and our pack were beaten in every game."

Coulson was given a lift on his premature arrival home when Ian Davies asked him to be assistant coach at Worthing.

That promises to be an important position with the Roundstone Lane club aiming for promotion this season.

Coulson certainly has a broader outlook as he tackles his new role.

He added: "There is a real work ethic in New Zealand when it comes to rugby and the team I was in had no real egos.

"There was not the massive gulf I expected when it came to skill levels.

"The forwards here are big, if not bigger, than in New Zealand, but their backs are as big as their forwards.

"Everybody is 6ft-plus and 14-16st.

"They have asked me to go back and I would love to but it might be difficult to get the time.

"I would love to go out there to play rugby and teach. That would be the perfect situation."