AndersonHeather building for Otago season
OTAGO captain Sam AndersonHeather should be right to get back into the blue and gold jersey this year.
AndersonHeather (30) had his first run in the premier club competition so far this season, playing the second half in the Dunedin club side’s narrow win over AlhambraUnion last Saturday.
Otago coach Ben Herring said AndersonHeather had a knee operation after last season and had taken a while to get his body right.
The hooker knew his body better than anyone else and so was wanting to get everything right and in good order for the forthcoming Otago season, Herring said.
The hooker hoped to play the last full games of the club season.
Herring was confident AndersonHeather would be fit and raring to go once the Mitre 10 Cup comes around.
The hooker has played 57 games for Otago and impressed last year with his allround game.
With hooker Liam Coltman out all last season, AndersonHeather took on a leadership role.
This time last year, AndersonHeather was selected as captain of the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.
He scored the only try for the side in a narrow loss to the British and Irish Lions.
AndersonHeather has also declared his availability for the Cook Islands and should be available for the next round of World Cup qualifying games at the end of next month.
The Cook Islands had initially been bumped out of qualifying after losing to Tahiti but, after an investigation by World Rugby, it was ruled Tahiti had fielded two ineligible players.
The Cook Islands will now face off against either South Korea or Hong Kong late next month in a twoleg qualifying series.