Squire insists he’s just getting started
A satisfied Liam Squire has come through his first game of rugby in a year with a clean bill of health and a warning to opponents that wants to put his shoulders to work in the coming weeks.
Squire was introduced in the 63rd minute during the Highlanders’ 26-13 loss to the Crusaders in Dunedin on Friday and immediately tackled and carried with vigour, a pleasing sight for Tony Brown’s side.
‘‘The lungs definitely felt it,’’ Squire said after the game.
‘‘It’s been bang on 12 months since I last played, that was in Japan.
‘‘You can do all running in the world at training but it’s that match fitness that you need.
‘‘It’s a good step in the right direction for me, but obviously disappointed with the result.’’
The best news for Squire was that he came off the field unscathed. His injury issues have been well documented and he admitted to being a bagful of nerves before taking the field at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
However, he cut a relaxed figure after the game and when asked if he enjoyed putting on a hit on Crusaders lock Sam Whitelock, Squire’s eyes lit up. ‘‘Yeah, but I’d love to do plenty more.’’
Squire will get the opportunity to do that in the coming weeks as the Highlanders hit the road for games against the Chiefs and Blues.
Squire is likely to get at least 40 minutes for the Chiefs clash in Hamilton, and by the time the Highlanders face the Blues in round three Squire should really be starting to fire.
‘‘Browny has a good plan in place that we’re going to follow,’’ Squire said.
‘‘If I get selected next week it’ll be something like that [a 40-minute spell]. I trust in his plan.
‘‘I didn’t get too much of a chance in pre-season [to get physical], and you don’t want to do it to your mates in training.
‘‘It’s good to finally get a bit of that contact but I’ll take a few lessons out of that 20 minutes.’’
Squire has a huge role to play at the Highlanders, particularly with big centre Fetuli Paea already ruled out of the season with an ankle season.
The Highlanders struggled to get over the gainline against the Crusaders in Paea’s absence, and Squire is undoubtedly their most abrasive ball carrier.
Wider out, standout newcomer Connor Garden-Bachop has confirmed that fullback is his preferred position despite an excellent display in the No 14 jersey against the Crusaders.
Garden-Bachop, 21, has a touch of Ben Smith about him with his pace and ability to weave past defenders and scored a nice try to cap a strong all-round display on debut.
Like Smith, he also enjoys the greater ‘‘freedom’’ of the No 15 jersey.
‘‘I’d probably prefer to be playing at fullback, that’s where I’ve always dreamed of playing,’’ Garden-Bachop said.
‘‘You can attack both sides of the field a little more easily and you get a bit more freedom.
‘‘But I’ve definitely played more on the wing, so I’m still learning my role at fullback.’’
Garden-Bachop’s 2020 was ruined by injury, but he appears destined for a strong season after regaining his fitness.
‘‘I actually blew out 5kg over lockdown,’’ he said. ‘‘I was 100kg and now I’m only 95kg. That just came with injury but when I cold start running again it just dropped off and I was able to lean up a bit.
‘‘It’s been a tough couple of years to be honest, on and off the field, but I’m stoked to finally be coming out the other side of it.’’
Meanwhile, the Highlanders’ second-string side, the Bravehearts, beat the Crusaders Development XV 35-31 in Pleasant Point on Saturday.
Tries to Freedom Vahaakolo, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Saula Ma’u, Ricky Jackson and Manaaki Selby-Rickit got the job done for the Bravehearts, with Caleb Makene nailing three conversions and Greg Dyer slotting two.