Osborne ready to help Waikato
The niggles never truly go away but Fijian winger Patrick Osborne is confident his legs still have a few miles left in them yet.
The former Canterbury, Chiefs and Highlanders flyer will line up for Waikato in this year’s Mitre 10 Cup provincial competition season opener against Wellington at FMG Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday.
The Mavana, Vanuabalavu native has recovered from a knee operation.
The Suva-born flyer began the year on the other side of the world but is happy to be back in New Zealand after a frustrating time with injuries.
“I was in England with Leicester. My knee didn’t quite agree with the weather and got back just in time to get surgery and then lockdown happened.”
After completing his rehab in Christchurch, Osborne turned out for his old club side, Canterbury University, before Waikato came calling. A five-time provincial champion with Canterbury, he’s looking forward to testing himself in a new environment.
“I’m looking to be a leader, because of my experience and stuff, to the young boys, we have quite a young squad,” he said. “Also it’s a good chance to see where I’m at. With the Mitre 10 being filled with All Blacks it’s a good level to play at and just take it game by game, week by week and see how the body holds up.”
At 33, Osborne is something of an endangered species on the wing but says he feels good and will play anywhere the coach wants him to.
The addition of former All Blacks Liam Messam (36) and Adam Thompson (38) to the Mooloo squad, he said, also means he’s avoided the friendly ribbing from his younger teammates.
“It was a relief to have Liam and Adam in the team because I’m not the oldest. It was good to have somebody else the boys have to look up to.”