Edinburgh new boy has balanced perspective

Fruean’s injury history sees him relish leadership role under Cockerill

Robbie Fruean has been through so much in his rugby career, that helping Edinburgh out of their recent malaise would seem like a doddle.

The marquee signing for the capital club this summer comes not without a real element of risk, as head coach Richard Cockerill admitted last week.

The former Junior All Black has had two major surgeries and two minor ones to correct a heart problem, and his injury history since recently is not exactly seamless.

However, the new man played all 80 minutes of his debut against the Dragons and crowned the performance with the final bonus point try, and he has a healthy sense of perspective going.

“It’s just been injuries since 2013,” he pointed out. “And because of the fact I’ve been through two heart surgeries and two minor surgeries, everything seems so minor when you’ re breaking your fore arm or ripping your pec.

“You go from something life-threatening to just breaking something. Now I’m used to dealing with it.

“It has been tough mentally at times, wondering whether I’d continue on and keep putting my body through this. I’ ve got a little one now, so I’m starting to realise the importance of being able to run around with her.

“So that’s why I’m taking care of my body a little bit more now, and just making sure that whenever the trainers are telling me I can train, I’ll train, and not trying to push it.”

The heart condition does not limit his training anymore and it’s mostly working off a pat ella niggle that is keeping him back right now.

But Fruean is relishing taking on a leadership role among Edinburgh’s promising young players, having learned from the two best examples in recent rugby history.

“When I came through the Crusaders I was one of the young guys looking up to Richard McCaw and Dan Carter, and you just put your hand up every week and did what you know you had to for the team ,” he said.

“Now I’m the more experienced guy that’s trying to help the young guys coming through.

“All of Richie’s talking was done on the field. He was one of those guys who led from the front, so that is 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.

“Dan Carter was much more a talker than McCaw. He was awesome to play outside of, he took the full responsibility for the team on his shoulders.”

Fruean thinks Richard Cockerill is “the best fit” for the squad Edinburgh have at the moment, and the squad know how much they have to step up their perfomance against Treviso on Friday at Myreside even after two opening wins in the Guinness PRO14.

“We have a young crew coming through that needs that bit of guidance,” he continued.

“Leadership starts from the top and Cockers has been taking control. He leads from the front regards standards both on and off the field.

“On Friday we won but he was not happy and neither was the team. We are better than that performance and we need to move forward.”

SNS. Picture: Robbie Fruean, a former Junior All Black, has undergone both minor and major surgery to address a heart problem, so has a sense of perspective as he settles into a new role with Edinburgh.