Injuries take toll of backs for Waikato-Otago semi

Mils Muliaina

Injury worries are the prime focus for Waikato and Otago before their national championship semifinal in Hamilton on Saturday night.

Waikato's All Black fullback Mils Muliaina injured a bicep tendon at training yesterday. He was assessed last night and will be monitored through the week.

First five-eighth Stephen Donald watched training yesterday on crutches, resting a heavily bruised knee. He is a 50-50 proposition for the semifinal. Resurgent lock Keith Robinson didn't train either, but is fit for selection.

Otago's problems are largely in the backs, too. They have lost four players for the rest of the Air New Zealand Cup.

Wings Karne Hesketh - scorer of a fine try in the 56-21 walloping of North Harbour last Sunday - and Alipate Fatafehi are gone with a sprained foot and dislocated shoulder respectively.

Fullback Glen Horton is also finished because of a rib injury, and flanker Alando Soakai has a fractured eye socket.

Another wing, the late bloomer Greg Zampach, is rated a 75 per cent chance to start. The 30-year-old has been a surprise success in his debut season, scoring four tries, but has missed Otago's last two games.

Coach Steve Martin insists his team does not view the knockout stage of the cup as a bonus.

Since their quarter-final win over Harbour, Otago's chances against Waikato have suddenly shot up in neutral estimations.

"We've said within the team winning a championship is about getting to the quarter-finals then winning those one-off games one after the other," Martin said. "All the work you do beforehand, whether winning or losing, is a collective thing towards the ultimate result. It's not a bonus game; it's part of what we've been aiming for - quarters, semis then final."

Otago returned to Dunedin on Monday afternoon and arrive in Hamilton on Friday. It's not the ideal preparation for a showdown game, but they're taking it on the chin.

"That's five six-day turnarounds this year, which creates situations in terms of how much time you get to coach the team. We don't make excuses, you play the hand that's dealt," Martin said. "At this point plans are well in place and it's just a matter of fine tuning."

Both teams are due to be named tomorrow.