Leonard keen to get back on the field
For Brendon Leonard, the Chiefs’ game against the Blues could not have come soon enough as he returned from what he called an ‘‘extended preseason’’.
The Chiefs halfback has fully recovered from a fractured cheekbone at a fortunate time after team-mate Tawera Kerr-Barlow suffered a broken jaw in the win over the Highlanders that is expected to keep him sidelined for six weeks.
Leonard, a former Matamata College student, spoke about the injury he picked up in a preseason fixture versus the Highlanders but said he aimed to take the setback as a positive.
‘‘I could do everything that’s no contact, so I did a lot running and all the gym work and speed stuff. So I’m in reasonably good nick after having an extended preseason I guess it was.
‘‘I’m just looking forward to getting back to play rugby.’’
He admitted it had been frustrating to pick up the injury at that time but instead chose to focus on returning to the team in peak physical condition.
‘‘It’s never a good time to get injured. Again, right at the start of the season when we’re all trying to push for game time, I was very disappointed.
‘‘ It was pretty hard to take those first few days but I then realised I just got to turn it into a positive and realised I can get a lot of training done and come back in better shape.’’
With his spell on the sideline now behind him the former All Black hopes to gain quality time on the field and knows with the depth at halfback in the current squad he would have to perform at a high level.
‘‘I just want to get consistent game time. We’ve got three good halfbacks here so someone’s going to miss out.
‘‘I’ve got to make sure that I put my best foot forward when I get on the park whether it’s starting or off the bench.
‘‘I think if I can do that then consistently get more game time than what I’ve had in the last 12 months, that’s definitely my goal going forward.’’
Though the loss of Kerr-Barlow is a blow for the Chiefs, Leonard sent a text offering his support and thinks the task is up to Augustine Pulu and himself to carry on from where the livewire halfback left off.
‘‘It’s time for me and Augy [Pulu] to step up and make sure that the team is not too affected by the loss of Tawera.’’
Having struggled with injuries in the team, Leonard believes his side have built depth in the squad and is seen as a real strength for the New Zealand Conference leaders.
‘‘I guess what makes the Chiefs so strong is that you’ve got competition in most areas not just [between] two [players] but three and four even.
‘‘There are that many guys who are all helping each other out, all trying to make each other better.
‘‘The guy who gets picked to go on the field knows that he’s got a job to do and he’s got the support from the guys behind him. It’s a good environment to be a part of.’’
Coach Dave Rennie felt the decision to withdraw Leonard from the Chiefs development game last weekend against Tonga A was the correct one.
‘‘We mulled over it, the thing was playing a pretty physical Tongan side if he [Leonard] got injured then we’re under a little bit of pressure.
‘‘Obviously Brendon gives us a fair bit of experience and that will be important over the coming weeks so we didn’t want to risk it.’’