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'Been working really hard': All Blacks star to make stunning return from injury
By Finn Morton
Injured scrumhalf Folau Fakatava is “on track” to return for the Highlanders this preseason, after injuring his knee ahead of the All Blacks’ end-of-season tour last year.
Fakatava decided to undertake a non-operative approach for his injury, as he targets a return to Super Rugby this season.
The 23-year-old, who made his Test debut against Ireland in 2022, is set to return to competitive rugby in the Landers’ second preseason clash.
Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody provided the injury update on Sunday, saying the star halfback is “giving himself every opportunity” to make the All Blacks’ World Cup squad.
“Folau is on track to play our second game of the preseason, against Moana Pasifika in Queenstown in a couple of weeks,” Dermody told Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine.
“He’ll return to play there, then be available for selection if he can tick off what he needs to in that game.
“He’s been working really hard and diligently with our medical team, the All Blacks medical staff as well.
“He’s giving himself every opportunity to try and make that World Cup (squad), so we’re looking forward to seeing him back out there, and hopefully he can get through the full season.”
The countdown to Round One of the new Super Rugby Pacific campaign is well and truly on.
With last seasons heroics and failures now nothing more than a memory, every team is preparing to kickstart their road to success in a few weeks’ time.
The Highlanders will begin their season with a New Zealand blockbuster against the Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium on February 25.
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Latest Comments
I think we need to get innovative with the new laws.
Now red cards are only 20 minutes, Razor should send Finau on a head hunting mission to hospitalise their 10 with a shoulder to the chops.
Give the conspiracy theorists a win.
Go to commentsEngland played well enough to win but couldnt score when they needed to and couldnt defend a couple of X-Factor moments from Telea which was ultimately the difference. They needed to hold the ball more and make the AB's make more tackles. Territorially they were good for the first 60. Defending their lead and playing pragmatic rugby in the last 20 was silly. The AB's always had the potential to come back. England still have a long way to go, definite progress would have been shown had they won but it seems they are still stuck where they were shortly after the six nations and their tour to NZ
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