SAINTS skipper Paul Wellens is confident of winning the race against time to be fit for the start of the Super League season despite having a minor operation on his troublesome foot injury.

Wellens is currently doing his rehab after having a bone spur removed before Christmas but hopes to be given the all clear to start running next week.

However, with just four weeks to go before Super League kicks off, the long serving full back has made it clear he will not jeopardise his season by rushing back too soon if he is not ready.

Wellens, who will be the club’s sole captain next term following the departure of James Graham to the NRL, said: “It is coming on ok. I now I have a few weeks of rehab to try and get back to full fitness before the start of the season, but I have got to put the work in to get there.

“I am confident that if I get back running I will be back for the start of the season.

“But, at the end of the day, if it is not right to play in the first few games then I won’t play – it is important that I string 25-30 games together next season not push to make the first one and then jeopardise the rest of the year.”

Wellens explained that the operation was to correct the problem, near to his Achilles tendon, that first occurred during the Easter programme and then, after settling down, reared its head in the Grand Final week and ultimately led to his early departure from the Old Trafford showpiece.

“I was having some inflammation around there and you have to be cautious because if you rupture your Achilles tendon you are talking about a long lay-off and I did not want to go down that route.

“It has led to a disrupted pre-season for me because I have not being able to train fully – but I am confident that I can get my fitness back over the next few weeks and should be ok to start.

Wellens was due to see his surgeon specialist last night but was hopeful to begin running at the back end of next week, leaving him with three weeks to get stuck into his fitness work.

“It helps with me being an experienced player, knowing the structures of the team and the environment so that should not take me too long to get back into the swing of things,” said Wellens.

Wellens, who turns 32 next month, will assume total responsibility for the skipper’s armband after sharing the duties with James Graham last year.

It is a job that excites him given the historical significance of the club’s return to St Helens and their first year at Langtree Park.

“It is great being captain especially at the start of the new era, moving into the new stadium “It is pleasing for me as a local lad too,” Wellens said.

Saints play their only friendly of the off season against Widnes Vikings on January 20, with their Super League campaign kicking off in London on February 4.