Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom refuses to dwell on the frustration of an injury-plagued World Cup build-up, but admits he has had one stroke of luck.

The powerful blindside flanker missed most of the Brumbies campaign with hamstring problems.

When Elsom was finally ready to play, he suffered an ankle injury in his first and only game back.

While he was getting round on crutches on Tuesday, Elsom was still aiming to play in Australia's season-opening Test against Samoa on July 17.

"I won't be playing for the rest of the Super season, but I probably dodged a bit of a bullet there," Elsom said on Tuesday at the launch of the Wallabies 2011 slogan One Team 2011.

"One ligament is damaged and the other two aren't so I should be back on my feet pretty soon.

"It was a very awkward position to be caught in and it could have been worse.

"Hopefully I'll be back for the next Test."

Elsom could be forgiven for cursing his bad luck, but the big flanker isn't the type to rue his lack of fortune in such an important year.

"I can't really dwell on that, obviously you don't plan it that way, but it comes with the territory so you go and have a look at what you have to do," Elsom said.

"I've probably got a fair bit to do now given that I won't have played too many matches before a Test match," added Elsom, who could possibly play a club game before returning to the Test arena.

His physical condition doesn't appear to have deteriorated according to legendary Wallabies flanker Simon Poidevin,

"He's cut and the six-pack is there and I can assure you he looks like the well honed athlete he was last year," Poidevin said of Elsom.

Poidevin endorsed Elsom's leadership capabilities and felt the current side had the same mix of youth and experience as his triumphant 1991 World Cup-winning team.

"Rocky has been an inspirational captain for the Wallabies the last few years and he's the ideal guy to lead us in to a very combative, very quick World Cup pace," Poidevin said.

"There's no excuses for (Wallabies coach) Robbie (Deans) and Rocky this year and they know that.

"The time has come for this team to unleash and I believe they will."

Elsom was philosophical about criticism of his leadership style and said everyone was entitled to an opinion.

"I think that it comes with the job a bit. I can't ever remember being criticised until I took over the job," Elsom said.

"I don't see it as necessarily bad, I think it's just something that happens."

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