Ospreys statement: McKenzie to return to New Zealand on compassionate grounds
Ospreys playmaker Marty McKenzie is to return to New Zealand on compassionate grounds, the club have confirmed.
A statement from the region reads:
The Ospreys can confirm that Marty McKenzie has returned to New Zealand on compassionate grounds for the next few weeks.McKenzie signed a short-term deal with the Ospreys back in November as cover at fly half and fullback.
A Maori and New Zealand U20s international, McKenzie has played five games, scoring 13 points for the Ospreys.
The brother of All Blacks utility back Damien - the former New Zealand Maori and U20s fly-half, committed to the Ospreys to the end of the season back in November.
Gareth Anscombe suffered a knee injury while on international duty with Wales and is forced to sit on the side-lines for the duration of the season, and McKenzie was his replacement.
McKenzie was a key figure in the Chiefs’ resurgence in Super Rugby, helping them to the Super Rugby quarter-final in June 2019.
His departure from the club is a blow for the club who are currently struggling for form in the PRO14, where they are have won just a single game all season.
WATCH: Press conference with head coach Eddie Jones and captain Owen Farrell. England have performed major surgery to the team defeated by France by making five changes for Saturday’s Calcutta Cup clash with Scotland.
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I commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
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