Pierre Spies was regarded as the almost-perfect sports specimen - earning widespread praise as one of modern-day's top athletes. Then injury hit and the rugby star's shine waned. The darling of rugby, with his bulky body, found himself on the receiving end of some of the harshest criticism as he struggled to reach the pinnacle of the rugby displays he had produced in his earlier playing days.He missed out on action for the bulk of the past two seasons due to recurring biceps injuries. Few thought he would bounce back to the levels he had set before - this is something that worried the Springbok and Bulls No8. "The worst part of professional sport is injuries, especially when you find yourself on long-term recovery. It's quite frustrating at times," the 29-year-old admitted to the Sunday Times."You spend most of your time worrying whether when you get back will you ever be the same player you were before injury."It seems injuries have always been a part of Spies's career.He made his Super Rugby debut for the Bulls in 2005 against the Brumbies, and got injured in the same match. The following year, he made his Bok debut in the Tri-Nations against Australia, and when the team went on the European end-of-year tour in 2006, he again got injured and missed out on the bulk of the 2007 Super Rugby season.Lo and behold, the very same year Spies had to be withdrawn from the Bok World Cup squad after blood clots were found in his lungs. The Springbok No7 did not find the luck his Bok number carries in the gambling world. His last appearance in the green and gold was against Samoa at Loftus Versfeld in 2013.story_article_left1Before even setting foot on the field at the start of this year's Super Rugby campaign, as Spies was set to make his return after the two-season injury-enforced lay-off, critics were already baying for his blood, expecting him to fumble. He didn't.This season, the Bulls captain has been a vital cog in the Bulls' machine - showing impeccable leadership qualities, scoring tries and producing all-round performances. It has undoubtedly been one of his most inspiring seasons of recent times.The 1.94m, 111kg specimen is again enjoying his rugby."I'm enjoying my rugby," he said. "The big goal when all the criticism comes is that you keep quiet and do your talking on the field. Listening to the right voices is key - you will never have everybody's backing."It [criticism] all doesn't bother me any more. I play for a bigger reason - my love for the game, myself and those who support me. I'm living my dream."Spies's newly-found form has made Bok management aware that he is back in the picture. He was part of the 44 players called up for a training camp in Johannesburg this week. However, Boks coach Heyneke Meyer indicated that Spies had a long way to go before convincing the selectors that he was ready for England in September.Despite Meyer's assertion, Spies has one goal in mind - to play in two consecutive World Cups, adding to his experience from the 2011 tournament."Playing at the World Cup is still definitely a goal. I don't expect to just walk into the side," he said. Spies has confirmed that after the Super Rugby season, he will be joining a club in Japan. He hopes to be able to continue playing Super Rugby while still contracted to his Japanese club...