Bad break for Fijian star Sims

RUGBY LEAGUE: Korbin Sims had no idea his broken arm had not healed in time for the World Cup, but says it may have been because he tried to do too much too soon.

The Broncos forward, who suffered the injury in late August, was a surprise late scratching from the Fijian squad last month after medical staff ruled him out.

Despite the original recovery period for his broken arm being set at six weeks, Sims’ arm took longer to heal.

While he was told this was not unusual for a broken arm, he will now be watching from home as Fiji prepare to take on New Zealand in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Sims said he had no idea there was going to be an issue in the lead-up to the tournament and thought the final appointment for his arm was just going to be a routine check-up.

“I had been training fairly regularly, trying to stay fit for the World Cup,” Sims said.

“When I went in to see (the surgeon), he said it hasn’t healed enough. His recommendation was to sit out of the World Cup and get ready for the start of the season.

“He said it’s fairly normal. No one is really fully healed at eight weeks and it might have been from doing too much a bit too early.

“I was disappointed but it was the right call in the end. I don’t want to go into the season having to think about my arm all the time. What’s done is done.”

The enforcer was ordered to rest and is not expected to return to Brisbane pre-season training until the end of the month.

Sims, who also used the off-season to re-sign as an ambassador for menswear brand Johnny Bigg, said once he is back at Red Hill he will be striving to improve on his form from 2017.

Fiji will hope to give the Kiwis another scare in Wellington on Saturday in the last eight.