Manu gets chance at NRC return
WEEK after week of relentless rehab has paid off for Salesi Manu as he attempts to relaunch his professional rugby career in Australia.
Manu is in the frame for a Round 1 National Rugby Championship call-up despite missing the entire Queensland Premier Rugby season through injury.
The journeyman prop is part of the Brisbane City squad who will this afternoon name their side to take on competition newcomers Fiji at Ballymore on Saturday.
The former Western Force player has spent recent seasons in Italy and Japan.
But having suffered a patellar tendon rupture last November while with Japanese side Honda Heat, Manu moved to the Gold Coast – where his wife’s family are based – in March and once there linked up with Bond University.
At Bond he worked overtime on returning to full fitness to the point where he earnt praise from coach Sean Hedger as the “most diligent trainer at the club”.
“(It was) just doing all the nitty gritty stuff that you don’t usually like doing but having to do the extras because you are injured,” Manu said.
Manu is now back to 100 per cent but has yet to lock in plans for 2018 – though that could quickly change with some big performances in City colours.
“I didn’t really expect it (squad selection) just because I wasn’t playing footy at all and when that came up I was actually quite surprised but happy at the same time,” he said.
“I get to play footy earlier than I anticipated.
“NRC, looking at it from overseas, was always a great stepping stone from club to fill in that gap between club and Super Rugby.
“It’s just another standard and it would be a great test for me as well.”