Burn ready to tackle chance
Adam Burn had been told to improve his attacking game but it’s his defensive qualities which have got him his Waikato jersey back.
Since his debut in 2012, Burn had been a regular fixture at No 8 in the Mooloos’ lineup, but hasn’t been seen in the first four games of this national provincial championship season.
New coach Sean Botherway had instructed the Hamilton Old Boys captain to become more dynamic in his play as he toiled away for the Development team. Now against Southland at Waikato Stadium on Thursday night, Burn gets his opportunity, and it’s his defensive pedigree which has seen him switched with Josh Tyrell.
‘‘They’re different profiled players, so we’ll be looking for Burnsy to work hard defensively,’’ Botherway said.
‘‘He’s really just been beavering away waiting for his opportunity. He’s had some things he’d been focusing on with regards to his attacking game, but he’s done well, he’s worked very hard. I’ve been impressed by his professionalism and his attitude.’’
It’s been a stark contrast to last year for Burn, who was regularly getting through 80 minutes.
‘‘It’s really exciting, good to get my first opportunity out there with the boys,’’ the 22-year-old said.
‘‘All the loosies have all got different skill sets and it’s sort of been matching those together. I’m just grateful to get the opportunity.’’
Burn has been happy with his form for a well-performing Development team, and he said both sides had similar structures, so he was hoping to make a smooth transition back into the top side.
‘‘It’s been good to get some rugby under the belt still,’’ he said. ‘‘There’s always that disappointment with not being selected, but you can only really take the positive and use that as motivation to get back out there. Even though you’re not named in the 23 you’ve always got a role to play behind the scenes and at training to get the boys ready.
‘‘The biggest work-on’s always been being more dynamic around the field and I’ve been hitting the gym and getting a lot more power movements and work done to transfer that out onto the field.’’
Burn will remarkably be the fourth-equal most capped player in Waikato’s 23, having racked up 20 caps.
He said that experience should be shown through his voice on the field, as Waikato look to ‘‘right a few wrongs’’ from last weekend’s 50-28 defeat to Auckland.
‘‘I suppose that’s one of the first things you learn on defence, that you open your mouth first. If the chatter’s up the defence normally picks up as well,’’ Burn said.
With a short turnaround from last Saturday, it had been difficult to train with too much intensity, but Botherway was looking for his troops to lift a few notches.
With Waikato 2-2, in fifth spot
in the premiership, playing at home against a championship side, it is a game they need to bank.
‘‘This one’s particularly important because we’ve got bounce back after last week’s loss,’’ Botherway said. ‘‘We’ve got to respond to
adversity and put in a good performance for each other.’’
Botherway said the fact Waikato were back to night rugby after three successive afternoon games was ‘‘a challenge in itself’’ for his attack-minded group.
Southland arrive sitting fourth in the championship and on the back of a 53-3 hiding from Wellington, but Botherway said they would be dangerous.
‘‘I don’t think they’ve got anything to lose. They’ve got an All Black and fringe World Cup first five-eighth in [Lima] Sopoaga [returning from a hamstring injury], so they’ll get a lot of feelgood factor around that, and he’ll give them a very good kicking game.’’
Botherway said Stephen Donald had come through fine and would make his return, after a hamstring injury caused him to be a late scratching last weekend.
The news isn’t so flash for hooker Michael Mayhew, who will miss the rest of the season after surgery tomorrow on a bone spur in his ankle.