Chiefs hopeful of fast return for star fullback
The Chiefs are optimistic star fullback Shaun Stevenson might not be sidelined for long, if at all, but the news is worse for veteran lock Jimmy Tupou, in the wake of their brutal Super Rugby Pacific win over the Waratahs.
Clayton McMillan’s side, for a third time this season, showed their bounceback ability by responding to a loss with a convincing win, as they notched a 38-22 bonus-point victory in Sydney on Friday night to propel them back into the top-four on the ladder.
But as they now eye up their final five weeks of the regular season and their big push for at least a top-two finish, the Hamilton-based side were still left counting the cost of their win at Allianz Stadium.
The sight of Stevenson clutching his right hamstring as he scored the visitors’ opening try of the night midway through the first half, and then hobbling off straight after, was a major concern.
It was a second game in a row the 27-year-old, who last year earned a maiden cap for the All Blacks on the back of a sensational Super campaign, had been a firsthalf casualty, having been stretchered off with a head knock in the previous outing (prior to the bye) against the Hurricanes in Wellington.
But, speaking from Sydney yesterday, McMillan, while unsure exactly “how acute” the injury was, was quietly confident Stevenson may well not be out of action for the multiple weeks that come with grade two or three hamstring tears.
“He’s walking around today so potentially not as bad as what we initially thought, but obviously bad enough for him to come off the field, so he’ll be a day-by-day proposition, I think, in terms of his availability for the next game [against the Force in Hamilton on Saturday night],” the coach said.
The news for Tupou, however, was looking a bit more clear-cut − unlike the 31-year-old’s own vision, as he sported a nasty shiner after being forced off in the 67th minute with what McMillan suspected was a “potential broken bone in his eye socket or face”.
“He’s looking pretty banged-up, and he’ll definitely be unavailable for the next game,” McMillan said, believing the incident had occurred from a head-on-head collision, though with no suggestion of foul play involved.
Having linked with the Chiefs this season after five years in Japan, the former Blues and Crusaders rep has perhaps surprised with the amount of game time he has got (six appearances [three starts], including the last four games) and against the Waratahs he was at the forefront of a steely defensive display and pulled off three first-half lineout steals.
“He’s just a quality human, first and foremost,” McMillan said, acknowledging the blow that will be his sidelining.
“And it’s not his first rodeo, he knows the game of rugby, he knows what he can extract from his body, he’s a good leader, just a calming influence amongst a pretty young team. When he’s at the forefront of the physical stuff it’s certainly something that the boys admire and appreciate, he’s a follow-me-type guy.”
The Chiefs will at least have a handy offset to Tupou’s absence in the form of All Blacks lock Josh Lord, who has played just three games this year in between ankle injuries but is a good chance to return next weekend.
Captain Luke Jacobson is also likely to be back in action against the Force after picking up a shoulder impingement against the Hurricanes and not being risked against the Waratahs, while prop Ollie Norris will also be back in contention on the back of a rolled ankle against the Canes.
With a second round of All Blacks rest weeks to negotiate, McMillan admitted there would be rotation in the ranks over the next five weeks, but is also mindful of wanting to build cohesion heading into the playoffs.
Having finally banked their first away win of the season, the coach was pleased with his side’s strong show of character and composure as they overcome a first-quarter Waratahs onslaught and a 12-0 scoreline, while he was delighted with the intense defence brought, in a game which saw tempers flare and several scuffles break out, and the Chiefs players clearly taking on midweek messages.
“We felt we hadn’t been at our physical best in the weeks preceding the bye, so that was one area of the game that we did put a spotlight on and we wanted to see a big shift in. And I think we got that.”