FITNESS WORRIES PLAGUE TOP DUO
DARIUS Boyd sent a scare through the Kangaroos camp yesterday when he pulled up with hamstring tightness and quickly left a field session for treatment.
While Johnathan Thurston and his dodgy calf survived the afternoon hitout, which paved the way for him to almost certainly start in Friday’s Anzac Test against New Zealand, Boyd will be closely monitored over the next 48 hours.
The fullback lasted an hour before he quietly came to the sideline and was overheard telling Kangaroos physio Tony Ayoub “it’s feeling tight’’.
After a quick massage, Boyd was ushered away into a van and taken back to the team hotel for further assessments. He continued to receive treatment last night.
Coach Mal Meninga was confident Boyd would be fit to start, but t also aware that he has decent back- up options.
Josh Dugan and Valentine Holmes briefly filled in at fullback during some drills after Boyd had departed.
“We also have other fullbacks waiting in the wings as well in James Tedesco or a Billy Slater,’’ Meninga said.
“But Darius will be fine. It’s precautionary.
“He has a bit of tightness in the hammy, he’s fine, there was no tear, and he’s just getting treatment,’’ Meninga said.
On a brighter note, Thurston looked to be fit as he put his calf through its paces. Provided Thurston feels no stiffness or pain in his calf this morning, he will line up against the Kiwis.
He completed last Thursday’s captain’s run for North Queensland, but pulled up lame on Friday and was a late scratching against the Parramatta Eels.
Thurston said on Monday if he felt a “quarter of the soreness’’ he felt last week, he would pull the pin on a start. He arrived late on to the field, underwent a series of stretches, completed some passing drills with Boyd, then did not miss a beat as he bounced around during the main session.
Impossible to miss in green and gold striped socks, Thurston went on to complete some tackling drills with Kangaroos assistant Trevor Gillmeister, then went through some kicking from the 55m line by himself.
Given the short turnaround to Friday’s final Anzac Test, the Aussies only had two field sessions scheduled this week. Roosters pair Boyd Cordner and Blake Ferguson played in New Zealand on Sunday and lost a day in travel.
Cameron Smith has also been spotted with his arm in a compression sleeve, but is in no danger of missing his 50th Test.