Fruean feeling blessed after heart troubles
EDINBURGH centre Robbie Fruean has revealed that he counts his blessings every day at still being involved in the game he loves.
After coming through two major open heart surgeries earlier in his career, the 28-year-old New Zealander says the experience has helped him put the normal stresses, strains and injuries of rugby in their proper perspective.
Fruean, who had been identified as one of the best teenage players in the world before a heart condition threatened his future, is now determined to seize every opportunity that comes his way after Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill signed him on a two-year deal from Bath this summer.
‘Yeah, it’s been pretty tough because I’ve been through two heart surgeries and two minor surgeries,’ said Fruean, who scored on his debut in last Friday’s 35-18 win over the Dragons at Myreside.
‘But since my last operation in 2013, it’s just been a case of rugby injuries.
‘Coming back from heart surgery, it seems so minor when you’re breaking your forearm or ripping your pec. You go from something life-threatening to just breaking something. I’m used to dealing with that.
‘For me, it is definitely great to still be involved as I have a couple of friends who have heart conditions very similar to mine.
‘They’ve had to stop playing rugby because of circumstances. I appreciate being able to be involved in rugby at a high level every day. I’ve never taken it for granted, so it’s cool.’
Fruean, who has hopes of representing Samoa at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, has had a number of unrelated injuries to deal with in the interim.
But he admits that the move to Edinburgh and the birth of his daughter have opened a new chapter in his life and career after Cockerill decided he was worth taking a risk on.
‘It has been tough mentally at times, wondering whether I’d continue and keep putting my body through this but I have been able to,’ he said.
‘I’ve got a little one now, so I’m starting to realise the importance of being able to run around with her, dance with her at home, make her cheer up and things like that.
‘I am starting to realise that and that’s why I’m taking care of my body a little bit more now. I’m just making sure that whenever the trainers are telling me I can train, I’ll train, and not try to push it.
‘At the moment, I am managing a patella tendon irritation but I am ticking all the right boxes and the trainers will get to the point when they will let me get into all the training.’
Fruean, who scored Edinburgh’s fourth try in the bonus-point win over the Dragons, believes there is more to come from him and his team-mates after victory in their first two Pro14 fixtures.
With Treviso coming to Myreside on Friday, the hosts will be firm favourites to make it a hat-trick of league wins.
Developing youth is part of Cockerill’s plans for the club and Fruean believes his own experience of playing alongside legends like Richie McCaw at his former team Canterbury Crusaders could help him mentor some of his younger team-mates in the capital.
‘Richie McCaw never really did much talking,’ said Fruean, who represented New Zealand at Under-19 level. ‘A lot of his talking was done by the way he played on the field. He was one of those guys who led from the front, so that is kind of what I took away from the Crusaders environment.
‘There are people who can talk their way through life and there are people who just do it. Richie was the type to just do it.
‘When I was at the Crusaders and coming through, I was one of the young guys playing with some big names like Richie and Dan Carter. It was just a case of me knowing what I needed to do for that team and putting my hand up for selection every week.
‘I have come to Edinburgh and although I have similar tasks, I’m not the young guy any more. I’m the more experienced guy that’s trying to help the young guys coming through.
‘That’s how I’ve been treating this transition because I’m normally the joker. Yes, I like to make sure the boys are always smiling but I also want to make sure they’re doing what they need to, so they are ready to perform in every game.
‘We are only just starting to scratch the surface and Richard Cockerill is the best fit for the group we have at the moment.
‘We have a young crew coming through that needs that bit of guidance. Leadership starts from the top and Richard has been taking control. He has been awesome.
‘This move was still a big one in regards to where I want to go with rugby. I’ve got aspirations to be a part of a World Cup and I have the opportunity to do so if it’s still open and Samoa are still keen. That was one of the main reasons I moved here. It played a big part in that decision.’