Moody out of six nations

Posted on Jan 18, 2011 in Rugby News

Bath Rugby have confirmed that Lewis Moody has suffered an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his knee, and is expected to be out of action for up to six weeks.

Head coach, Steve Meehan, said “Lewis took a knock to his knee at the weekend, which is slightly more serious than first thought. It is frustrating for us to lose him at this stage in the season, but it does mean that other players in the squad get the opportunity to come on in his place and show us what they can do. We will of course make sure he receives the best medical attention to get him back on the field as and when he’s ready.”

Chiefs suffer Kimlin blow

Posted on Nov 26, 2010 in Rugby News

Peter Kimlin’s stay with Aviva Premiership Rugby newcomers Exeter Chiefs has been brought to an abrupt end after the Australian international was injured during training on Monday.

The 25-year-old forward has been told he faces up to 12 weeks on the sidelines after damaging knee ligaments following a collision with team-mate Paul McKenzie.

It’s an unfortunate setback for Kimlin, who was using his short loan spell in Devon as an opportunity to not only try his hand at rugby in the Northern Hemisphere, but at the same time work his way back to full fitness following a nerve problem in one of his shoulders.

Kimlin will now head back to his Aussie parent club, the Super 15 outfit the Brumbies, to undergo a new rehabilitation programme ahead of their 2011 campaign which will start on February 19 against the New Zealand-based Chiefs.

Having featured just three times for Exeter’s first team, including a full appearance in the recent LV= Cup win over London Wasps, this latest news has come as a shock not only to Kimlin, but also head coach Rob Baxter.

“It’s a frustrating time for Peter, he came over and we anticipated him being involved in a bit more rugby,” said Baxter.

“He arrived too late for us to get him involved in the early European games, that held him back from the next round of Premiership games and once he got his feet under the table and an A game under his belt we then ran into the three foreigners rule, with Steeno getting injured and Ignacio Mieres starting to feature in the squad.

“That held him out for another week and then this week in training he’s picked up a knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the time he’s here with us. It’s very unfortunate for Peter as he was looking to have a big pre-season running into the Super 15s for the Brumbies, but these things do happen in rugby.”

Baxter, however, had nothing but praise for Kimlin’s efforts during his short stint with the Chiefs

“He’d settled in very well, was a popular member of the squad – he’s a good guy and a very good player,” added Baxter. “I think he would have featured a fair bit over the next few weeks, but these things happen. It was a training ground incident, he clashed with a player on his own team in a game of touch, and sadly that is it for him now.”

Kimlin himself was understandably "gutted" when told that he would be out of action for up to three months.

“I’m pretty disappointed about what’s happened, but it’s one of those things,” said a philosophical Kimlin. “When I came here the anticipation about playing was quite exciting and being able to come to a new environment was really challenging.

“The month I’ve been here I saw little steps coming back; I was getting fitter and obviously getting a bit more rugby. It was something different and after being out for 12 months it was what I needed.”

He added: "I’ve met some great blokes here and those relationships are something I’ll take home with me. I’ve learned a few things about how English rugby is played, which is different to back home, and overall it’s been a great experience. It’s been short-lived, but I’ve enjoyed every minute.

“I’ll head back and get into pre-season, they’ve been back for three weeks, so hopefully my knee recovers well and I’ll go from there. I’m just trying to stay positive at the moment.”

Kimlin’s early exit is an untimely blow for the Chiefs, who this weekend face Sale Sharks before heading to London Wasps a week later.
Baxter, though, is in no rush to hunt down any kind of replacement, insisting he has plenty of options at his disposal.

“I think we’ll asses how things go over the next couple of weeks,” he said. “Dave Gannon’s played a bit, Chris Bentley’s played a bit, Addison Lockley is up and fit now and getting some game time at Launceston and Chad Slade can cover the second row so we have got some options.

“I’ve been desperate all season not to just bring someone in to make up the numbers and I’m still determined to do that exactly the same. What I will do is assess who’s out there and if there’s some quality that we can bring that will add something to the squad we may do something, but the deciding factor will be who is available.”

London Welsh centre Mackey on the mend

Posted on Nov 25, 2010 in Rugby News

London Welsh centre Paul Mackey is well on the road to recovery and now can’t wait to get back into the thick of the action.

More than two months on from suffering a knee ligament tear during the Exiles’ 21-10 win against Plymouth Albion at Brickfields, Mackey is on the comeback trail and a return to first team action can’t come soon enough.

And if he needed any extra motivation, then the visit of Swansea – the club he joined straight from school – to Old Deer Park next month in the British & Irish Cup, is definitely it.

“When I originally went to see the specialist I got the impression I’d be back closer to January, and the thing I was most disappointed about was the potential of missing the Swansea game,” said Mackey.

“It’s been really hard because you get to a point where you are training at different times from the rest of the boys, because you can’t do what the full team is doing.

“So you find yourself in the gym either with another injured player or on your own with the fitness coaches. Lucinda’s [Deekes – London Welsh physio] been unbelievable; she’s the one taking me for the gym sessions.

“But it’s difficult because you’re in either before or after the first team and they’re all chatting about the weekend, and that’s what I really miss, being part of the squad.

“I don’t attend any meetings or analysis; it’s all a matter of getting back as quick as I can.”

It was during his first start of the season for Welsh against Plymouth on September 18 that Mackey picked up the injury, which came in the build up to Errie Claassens’ 53rd minute try to help the Exiles set up a winning lead.

“All I remember is I’ve gone in to secure the ruck and I’ve planted my foot. But someone’s come in and taken me out from the side and my knee’s gone one way and my foot’s stayed in the same place, and I’ve heard this horrible tear,” he said.

“It was over in a flash but the pain was excruciating – it was a horrible feeling. I knew straight away that it was a serious injury.

“I’d done enough in the game prior and in training the week leading up to Plymouth to be worthy of a start, but sods law I pick up a nasty knee injury.”

The most serious injury so far in the career of the centre who joined Welsh from the Scarlets. Now in his fourth season at Old Deer Park, Mackey has racked up 79 league appearances for the Exiles as well as scoring 12 tries.

Restricted for the first six weeks after the injury to just upper body work in the gym, Mackey’s days are all about getting back into action as soon as possible.

That means a daily diet of weights in morning followed by fitness work in the afternoon and all geared towards getting his fitness levels back up.

“Now it’s all a matter of getting both knees strong, getting the muscle back on my quads, which I’ve lost due to not training, and fitness every day, so that when I come back I’m not completely unfit,” said Mackey.

Sivivatu to miss All Blacks Tour

Posted on Nov 1, 2010 in NZ

All Blacks winger Sitiveni Sivivatu is to miss the All Blacks Telecom BackingBlack Tour to Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Ireland after a scan confirmed the extent of his new knee injury.

The 43-Test winger made a return to rugby last week following a five-month break from the game after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Sivivatu managed some game time in the All Blacks inter-squad training match last Saturday, before the squad departed for Hong Kong to prepare for the DHL Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia, and was due to play for Waikato in this weekend’s ITM Cup semifinal match against Auckland, but had been troubled by a sore left knee, which had taken a knock in the training match.

Speaking from Hong Kong, All Blacks doctor, Dr Deb Robinson, said:  “Siti had a scan in Hamilton on Friday which revealed that a bony fragment had come loose in his left knee. He will see an orthopaedic surgeon over the weekend and may require an arthroscopy.”

Dr Robinson said it was not yet known how long Sivivatu would be out of rugby, but he would not recover in time to tour with the All Blacks.

All Blacks Coach Graham Henry said:  “It’s hugely disappointing for Siti to suffer another injury straight after recovering from his shoulder surgery.  The whole All Blacks squad feels for him and we wish him all the best as he recovers from his latest setback.”

Henry said at this stage, a replacement player wouldn’t be called into the All Blacks, with wingers Josevata Rokocoko, Cory Jane and Hosea Gear in the squad as well as Isaia Toeava also available to provide cover.

Hunt – another twist in his rollercoaster career

Posted on Oct 8, 2010 in Rugby News

Six years after being told his career was over by doctors – and two years after his coach informed him he’d never take the field for his country again – Simon Hunt is preparing to pull on an England shirt at the Commonwealth Games.

The Birmingham & Solihull wing’s career got off to a flying start with appearances for England’s Sevens, Students and Under 21 teams, and a move to France that saw him feature for Perpignan in the 2003 Heineken Cup final against Toulouse.

A year later he suffered a horrific multiple knee ligament injury. Medical opinion was that his playing days were irrevocably over.

He worked his way back into the professional game, though, and re-established himself for England Sevens, only for a falling out with head coach Ben Ryan to leave him in the cold once more.

Like his left knee, that relationship has been repaired and the 29-year-old will be prouder than ever when he pulls the shirt back on as 2006 silver medallists England prepare to face Sri Lanka, Uganda and Australia in the pool stages on October 11 with the medals decided the following day.

“I’ve been in and out of the squad and Commonwealth Games have come and gone and I’ve missed them all,” said Hunt. “This was always going to be my last shot. It’s come as a bit of a surprise and now I can’t wait.”

That he is playing at all is a testament to his own durability and the skill and kindness of others. Readers of a nervous disposition may want to look away now.

“My career has certainly had its ups and downs,” said Hunt. “I was in a European Cup final with Perpignan and then against Toulouse the following season the bottom half of my leg basically became detached from the top.

“My shin went flat into the ground but the knee kept on going downwards. I actually stood up and took four or five steps before I realised what had happened.

“I’d torn my Posterior Cruciate Ligament, my Medial Cruciate Ligament and my Anterior Cruciate Ligament – I’d snapped my PCL completely and I don’t have that in my left knee any more. I tore pretty much everything there is to tear. I was in an air cast for a few months. Two French doctors told me I’d never play again.

“I was out of contract at the time, in contract negotiations, so I was buggered really. Pretty much no-one wanted to sign me and I could feel my career falling down around my ears. I didn’t even have anywhere to do any rehab because no-one would take a risk of signing me.

“Luckily I knew Kingsley Jones fairly well and through playing in France I knew Philippe Saint-Andre too and they invited me up to Sale [where they were coaching] partly on trial but basically to complete my rehab and sort my knee out. They were fantastic. I went on a pre-season tour with them to France and the first game back was playing against Perpignan, which was pretty weird. I suppose if I’d listened to the doctors I’d be trying to get to the Commonwealth Games in lawn bowls or another sport.”

Hunt recovered to have productive spells with Ebbw Vale and under Richard Hill at Bristol before moving to Birmingham, for whom he scored 31 tries in 2008-09 under England Sevens assistant coach Russell Earnshaw, himself a Commonwealth Games competitor in 1998.

He was back in the England mix, too, between 2006 and 2008, until his off-field behaviour at the 2008 London tournament led to Ryan casting him into the darkness once more.

“I was having some personal problems at the time and didn’t handle them particularly well and we had a bit of a disagreement,” said Hunt. “People do, but it’s obviously not a great idea to fall out with your coach and it doesn’t help selection.”

Ryan added: “Simon stepped out of line two years ago and I took away his international career for 24 months as a result.

“Discipline is vital, as is understanding the individual. He has matured now and earned my respect. Simon deserves a second chance to give his career the success his ability, and now his character, can support."

Just being in Delhi won’t be enough for Hunt and his teammates, who believe they have the ability to strike gold, despite New Zealand, Australia and Samoa being the fancied runners.

“People talk about the Southern Hemisphere teams but I don’t think anyone will have trained harder than us for 12 weeks or be as well prepared as us,” said Hunt.

“We’ve got the ammunition. We’ve got youth, we’ve got experience, we’ve got size, we’ve got pace. Everyone knows what they’re doing and we’re all on the same page. The lead-up’s been good and now it’s just a case of putting it together for each game.

“It’s international Sevens. No-one’s bad, everyone’s fit, everyone’s strong, but some teams have more rugby nous than others. It’s about outwitting sides that you’re playing which I’m sure we can do.”