Savea’s injury ‘feeling good’
Injured All Blacks star Ardie Savea was on course for an early May return to Super Rugby before the coronavirus pandemic derailed that.
The backrower has been rehabbing a knee that was injured in the All Blacks’ World Cup semifinal loss to England.
He required surgery but was pleased with the progress and had hoped to soon be back in action with the Hurricanes until the global health crisis intervened.
Savea revealed he had targeted the May 1 derby against the Chiefs in Wellington.
‘‘I was planning to be back around then, but I was in no rush. It was feeling good to play, but it all depended on how it felt and if I felt comfortable. It’s a feel thing from now on,’’ Savea told Sky TV’s
show.
Savea, 26, will now have extra time to ensure the knee is ready for action once rugby resumes.
He would continue to do his rehab at home under the lockdown regulations and had a program worked out with the Hurricanes fitness team.
‘‘I have gym equipment at home and pretty much all the stuff I do at the moment I can do from home.
‘‘All the running I can do at the park just behind my house, so I can quickly nip over there and do the conditioning that I have to do.’’
He sees the four-week lockdown as a chance to spend more time with his family. He has also had plenty of contact with his older brother Julian, the former All Blacks wing who is based in Toulon with France and in the thick of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe.
‘‘He’s been giving some advice because they are already a couple of days into lockdown,’’ Savea said.
‘‘I’ve been asking him what he’s been doing to keep his little one occupied and what activities, but he’s just been dancing and doing fitness body weight circuits. We will be having a lot more skype sessions over the next few weeks.’’
Savea will be out to add to his 44 tests for the All Blacks if test rugby can get under way in 2020.
The All Blacks are set to host Wales and Scotland in July but those tests appear increasingly threatened.
The All Blacks’ Rugby Championship campaign is scheduled to start with an August 15 test against the Wallabies in Wellington.