Sasagi’s Samoa series over before it began
OTAGO prop Hisa Sasagi appears to have the worst timing for injuries.
Sasagi is missing out on the international series for Samoa over the next few weeks due to a shoulder injury.
Last year, he was a member of the Hurricanes Super Rugby squad and was all set to take his place on the bench for the finals series when he picked up a nasty calf injury.
So instead of running on and helping his team to Super Rugby glory he was forced to watch from afar.
But he came back to Otago and managed to play well for half a season before he was felled by a blow to the head and missed the rest of the season, not playing any part in the run to the finals.
But he went on tour to Europe with Samoa and played in one test.
This year, after switching to Southern when his club Pirates could not field a premier team, he started off playing at tighthead prop for the Magpies and was building up his fitness.
He was then named in the Samoan side for its mid winter series.
The Samoans are set to take on the All Blacks in Auckland this Friday night before tests against Wales, Tonga and Fiji in the Pacific Islands.
But Sasagi will be watching instead of playing — enjoying a chilly Dunedin winter instead of the warm Pacific Island sun.
A couple of weeks ago he was at Bishopscourt watching a junior game and was walking down the bank on the field when he slipped.
He threw out his arm to try to stop him falling and proceeded to dislocate his left shoulder.
Sasagi said it was disappointing, but was just one of those things.
‘‘That is the way these things go. It just happened. I don’t need an operation and just want to get back and playing.’’
He hoped to get back on the field by the end of the month to help Southern push for the title and then rejoin Otago.
About to turn 30, Sasagi is not contracted for Otago beyond this season.
Meanwhile, new Highlanders assistant coach Aaron Mauger is the new assistant coach for Samoa for the upcoming series.
Mauger will assist the side before he joins the Highlanders at the end of this season.
The former All Black said he felt privileged to be able to join the Samoan team and would assist Samoan head coach Alama Ieremia.