At a glance Suafoa returns for Blues weeks after finishing cancer treatment
Just weeks after finishing radiation treatment for cancer, forward Cameron Suafoa makes a remarkable and inspiring return to the Blues team to face the Melbourne Rebels tomorrow night at AAMI Park.
Suafoa’s addition to the bench, where he will cover the loose forwards, is one of a half-dozen changes made, including five to the starting XV, following last weekend’s last-gasp 41-34 Super Rugby Pacific victory over the Reds in Brisbane.
Caleb Clarke is back, after a blinder off the bench at Suncorp, into his customary No 11 jersey and AJ Lam slots in for Bryce Heem at second five-eighth in the only backline changes. Up front Laghlan McWhannell returns to the second row, tighthead prop PJ Sheck gets a debut in the No 3 jersey (with Angus Ta’avao rested) and the well-performed Ricky Riccitelli is reinstated at hooker.
Blues: Cole Forbes, Mark Tele’a, Rieko Ioane, AJ Lam, Caleb Clarke, Harry Plummer, Taufu Funaki; Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papali’i, Anton Segner, Laghlan McWhannell, Patrick Tuipulotu (capt), PJ Sheck, Ricky Riccitelli, Ofa Tu’ungasfasi. Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu’a, Marcel Renata, Sam Darry, Cameron Suafoa, Sam Nock, Corey Evans, Bryce Heem.
But it’s the only new face on the bench – that is the real story of this week for the 8-1 Blues who ride a six-match win streak into the clash.
Suafoa has spent most of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season undergoing radiation treatment for a cancerous tumour on his back, though he did manage to make a couple of appearances earlier in the campaign (one off the bench and one start), before requesting some time away to deal with tiredness.
He only finished his radiation treatment in early April, and Blues players and management were stunned to see him putting his hand up for a return so soon..
“He’s a kid who didn’t want any special treatment when we all found out about it,” close friend and Blues No 7 Dalton Papali’i said yesterday from the Sunshine Coast where the team is preparing. “He was still getting treatment while playing and he wasn’t missing a beat at training as well. Then he got the couple of weeks off just to get that little bit better.”
“There’s a lot of resilience for him to do what he’s been doing. It shows so much courage, him coming back into the fold and wanting to play.”
The Blues wrap up preparations on the Sunshine Coast today and fly to Melbourne later this evening.