Rugby: Coach praises surprise second coming

Hard-running Ross Filipo produced an outstanding performance when he stepped up for the Chiefs against the Bulls at Rotorua International Stadium on Friday night. Photo / Getty Images

A retired pro-footballer leaves his Friday night couch and answers the Chiefs’ SOS.

Ross Filipo, 36 and retired from professional rugby, sat at home last week and marvelled at the tempo of the game he gave away.

"I was sitting on the couch having beers and pizza watching the Chiefs play the Hurricanes," he said, "and thinking how crazy the game was, in terms of the speed and how long the ball was in play."

Filipo enjoyed a first-hand view of that craziness on Friday night after making the rare leap from club footy to Super Rugby and playing an integral part in the Chiefs' 34-20 victory over the Bulls.

Shortly after that typically-Kiwi Friday night on the couch, Filipo received a phone call telling him to report to Ruakura first-thing Monday and help his former side out of a crisis. All four of the Chiefs' front-line locks were laid low by injury and, after having a pair of loose forwards fill in against the Hurricanes, Dave Rennie sent out an SOS.

Filipo's emphatic answer to that SOS surprised even himself. Handed the No4 jersey against the Bulls, the former All Black looked nothing like the couch potato he had been just a week earlier, carrying strongly, tackling well and earning the fulsome praise of his coach.

"It's a great story, isn't it?" Rennie said. "Coming out of semi-retirement to fill a void for us. He did a good job at lineout time, he got round the field. He was out on his feet late in the game when we replaced him but his lineout ability was crucial and that's why we left him out there. It shows the character of the man."

Filipo played 70 minutes, completely exceeding his expectations. For one, he was never expecting to start the match, and once Mike Fitzgerald failed to fully recover from a haematoma, Filipo thought 45 or 50 minutes would be his lot.

"I was pretty tired but not too bad, actually," the Herald on Sunday columnist said. "Not as bad as I thought I was going to be. I'm very happy — it was a lot of fun. I got a bit of a rush of blood but, once I got over those initial nerves, it just felt really easy to slot back into the team. It was a good night."

It's a night he could even repeat next week against the Highlanders, with the Chiefs locking woes easing but not yet over. While Michael Allardice has been ruled out for the season, Fitzgerald should be fit for the clash in Dunedin and first-choice pair Brodie Retallick and Matt Symons would be close to returning.

Rennie said an assessment would be made on Filipo's short-term future during the week, and the man himself was more than happy to stick around if needed. And, if not, it will be back to the club fields of the Waikato, back to his role as player-coach at Hamilton Marist, with nothing but good memories from his surprise second coming.

"It was really nice and I'm honoured to be part of the team and for the boys to welcome me back," he said. "It was a very good week."

The week ended on something of a sour note, however, with Marist yesterday losing a top-of-the-table clash against Otorohanga. Filipo, who went from Rotorua International Stadium to Island Reserve, laughed off suggestions he would have an increased aura during the pre-match team talk, saying he and his charges had a good level of mutual respect.

Rennie, though, wasn't about to bet against the Marist changing rooms being regaled with a tall tale or two.

"He'll probably tell a few stories."