Injuries nightmare looks over for Moody

‘‘It feels like it has been an age.’’

With those eight words Joe Moody started the conversation about his return to Super Rugby. His nightmare run with injuries is officially over.

Loosehead prop Moody hasn’t played a first-class game since representing the All Blacks against Argentina in New Plymouth last September. A couple of significant breakages had chewed a hole in his rugby calendar; first there was the badly dislocated shoulder, which required surgery, and then he mangled a finger in a game for his Lincoln club five weeks ago.

‘‘The tendon ripped a bit of bone off. It is called a ‘mullet finger’,’’ Moody said in reference to the freak accident that happened at a picturesque country ground in Loburn, North Canterbury.

Those sunny surrounds would have been in contrast to Moody’s mood when, having driven himself to a hospital in Christchurch, he was told it wasn’t a minor problem.

‘‘I think I got hooked-up in a jersey as I was cleaning out, and we sort of rolled together. At the time I didn’t realise the seriousness of it. It was frustrating but it is part of the sport, part of the job I have got.’’

Now everything is starting to click into place. Moody has been named to start for the Crusaders against the Waratahs in Christchurch tomorrow night, a week before the All Blacks squad to play France in June is revealed.

Moody is an amiable fellow during a interview, but like his fellow New Zealanders he wants to be like a cat with a bird against the Tahs. There is a 38-game winning streak over the Aussie counterparts to extend, after all. And no-one in their right mind could forget that the Hurricanes are breathing hot air on the Crusaders’ necks on the competition log.

Being injured meant Moody didn’t have to analyse footage of his next opponents on the laptop each week, but he didn’t use the extra time to stare at the TV set: ‘‘I have used it [the break] as a bit of a freshening-up time, and I haven’t really been watching any rugby other than our games.’’

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has mixed-up his selections. Although wary of the Waratahs forward pack, he said All Blacks tighthead prop Owen Franks required a break after starting three games following surgery on his Achilles tendon. Back-up loosehead Tim Perry still has a hamstring strain.

Second five-eighth Ryan Crotty has also been given a rest, which means the requirement that he skip two games – at the behest of the All Blacks – is complete.

Fullback David Havili was available in the wake of the head knock he suffered in the 55-10 win over the Rebels, but the in-form Manasa Mataele and his uncle Seta Tamanivalu have been listed on the wings with George Bridge shifting to fullback.

A Crusaders win over the Waratahs would add to the debate about how to fix the game across the Tasman, and Wallabies great Mark Ella has already suggested allowing All Blacks to play for Australian teams.

Robertson welcomed discussions on how to improve Super Rugby, but questioned whether Ella’s idea would be beneficial for New Zealand.

‘‘Is it the best thing for New Zealand rugby? Probably not,’’ Robertson said. ‘‘But is it the best thing for Super Rugby? It probably is. You can have an argument both ways. Will it get more people to support the Australian teams? Yeah, potentially.’’