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At the weekend he will make a comeback for Bradford at Huddersfield - where he was injured in a tackle by Kiwi Nigel Vagana in November's Tri-Nations game.

The 26-year-old told BBC Five Live: "I might have a few flashbacks but it won't make much difference to me.

"It's just a field with grass on and two sets of sticks at each end of it."

He had to have part of his face virtually rebuilt after Vagana's tackle during the match on 12 November.

His upper jaw and cheekbone were smashed and doctors feared for his life as blood vessels burst in his throat.

Once the bleeding had stopped, it was only a broken bone Paul Deacon

Now two titanium plates, which will remain in place for the rest of his life, hold together his cheekbones and top jaw.

"I'm starting to look somewhere near normal, the surgeon did a great job," he said on Thursday's Sport On Five.

"I remember everything - my first thoughts were that I'd just bust my nose.

"I remember walking off the field and I thought I must have broken my jaw and then I could feel all this blood going down my throat.

"It's just one of those things. I've seen much worse tackles and I was just unlucky with where he caught me and the damage he did."

But Deacon, who will also line up in Huddersfield for Bradford's Carnegie World Club Challenge match against Wests Tigers on 3 February, refuses to let the life-threatening incident affect him.

"It was blown out of all proportion," he added. "Once the bleeding had stopped, it was only a broken bone.

"I don't think there is a big psychological battle, to be honest. The surgeon has given me the all-clear and he said the jaw is as strong now as it was before.

"Sport throws up these ironic things all the time - playing on the same pitch. I won't be bothered by that."