1
Why Liam Squire has made the decision to return to New Zealand
By Tom Vinicombe
Liam Squire is back in New Zealand and, all going well, could be lining up for a Super Rugby club next year.
The former All Black left NZ to link up with the NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes in Japan following last year's successful Mitre 10 Cup with the Premiership-winning Tasman Mako.
The Top League season was called off after just six rounds, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Squire managed three appearances for the Osaka-based Red Hurricanes before he was struck down by a knee injury. While Squire has well and truly recovered from that speed bump, the extended break brought about due to the global pandemic has now given the loose forward the opportunity to deal with some other lingering problems.
"I actually injured my knee early on in the season but once COVID hit, it was decided I’d return to get it fixed in NZ," Squire told RugbyPass.
"That was nothing major but during that break, we decided I would also get my hip cleaned out. That's an ongoing injury I've been dealing with and managing for a number of years now so for me, it’s a massive relief to finally be able to get my body back to 100%. The downside is that it's come at a cost in that I won't be able to return to Japan."
Squire's career in New Zealand was besotted by injuries.
Having broken into the All Blacks on the back of an excellent 2016 with the Highlanders, a broken thumb sustained partway through the 2017 Super Rugby season prevented Squire from playing against the British and Irish Lions.
In 2018, Squire struggled to string together two matches in a row for the Highlanders due to frequent small niggles but was still selected for the national side. A hand injury suffered in the Rugby Championship again sidelined the powerful blindside flanker for a number of tests before he returned late on the All Blacks' European tour. In what turned out to be his last match for the New Zealand national team, Squire left the field late in the first half against Ireland due to injury.
Squire had a late start to the 2019 season – his last in New Zealand – due to the troublesome hip that he's finally set to deal with.
Despite Squire's obvious potential and high-quality performances for Tasman, the Highlanders and the All Blacks, injuries effectively kept the loose forward from ever establishing himself as a long-term permanent selection at the highest level.
The extended pandemic-enforced break has finally granted time for Squire to conquer the chronic injury that's caused problems over the years.
"My goal now is just to get my body feeling 100% and fit again, which is really exciting and motivating for me because I've had these tidy up surgeries on injuries that I feel have held me back in the past," Squire said.
"Getting back playing my best rugby is naturally a massive goal. I hope to play here in New Zealand again, all going well, but I can only control what I do and that’s working hard to get back to full fitness and hopefully get the chance to play again."
The New Zealand provincial competition has already benefitted this year from a raft of players coming home from overseas and the experience that someone like 29-year-old Squire could bring to any team would be invaluable. While a return may not be on the cards in 2020, next season could be a different story.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie's club future appears done
3
Harlequins sign England prop Harry Williams
4
Ex-Scotland captain and British & Irish Lions star Laidlaw dies
5
Latest Comments
Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.
His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.
How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.
Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.
His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.
Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.
Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.
Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.
Go to commentsThe sharks will win
Go to comments