WALES ace Leigh Halfpenny faces a race against time to be fit in time for the World Cup but is confident of making rugby’s showpiece tournament.

Plagued by injuries, the wing picked up a recurrence of an ankle injury in the opening minutes of Cardiff Blues’ Magners League win over Treviso in April.

This latest blow rules him out of action for four months after he was forced to miss the autumn series and most of the Six Nations with ankle trouble.

The 2009 Lion withdrew from their tour of South Africa with a thigh problem and is up against it to play in his first World Cup.

A devastating finisher, Halfpenny, 22, has won 19 caps and scored seven tries for Wales since his 2008 debut – as well as kicking nine of his specialty long-range penalties.

Although he is wearing a protective boot to support his ankle after an operation, he will be travelling with Wales’ pre-World Cup training camp to Poland next week.

And he remains upbeat about his chances of recovery in time for this autumn’s competition.

He is aiming to be ready in time for Wales’ last World Cup warm-up game against Argentina on August 20 at the Millennium Stadium.

“It’s a tight schedule, time is tight,” he admitted. “But things are looking good at the moment. The rehab is going really well and I’m ahead of schedule.

“Hopefully I’ll be back in time, hopefully for that last one against Argentina – I’m on target for that.”

To have suffered so many injuries at such a young age has taken its toll, as Halfpenny candidly confesses.

“It has been a testing time, definitely. Mentally it’s tough and it’s the toughest season I’ve had,” he said.

“But players get injuries all through their careers – it’s part and parcel of the job.”

The Swansea-born flyer said he has been fortunate to have been able to rely upon plenty of support to help him come through the difficult times.

“I’m lucky to have a great family and a great group of friends around me to help me through,” he said.“They’ve been really important to me to help me keep going as have the great staff with the Blues and Wales.”

And Halfpenny said it was a boost to have scrum-half Mike Phillips back in the fold after he was banned from the squad last month following a late-night altercation in Cardiff city centre.

The 28-year-old apologised to coach Warren Gatland and his teammates this week for the “embarrassing” incident after photographs showed him being held down by a bouncer outside MacDonald’s in Queen Street before being led away in handcuffs by police officers.

Phillips is not facing criminal charges.

Halfpenny said: “Mike is a big character with huge experience and he’s a key player for us.

“The boys have had a laugh with him and it’s great to have him back.”