Saunders shrugs off dicky-shoulder woes

Matt Saunders is tackled by Auckland's Joe Rokocoko during the NPC final at Eden Park last year. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Matt Saunders will unleash eight months of frustration when he makes his comeback for Otago at Eden Park tonight.

It is nearly a year since the winger played his last competitive game for Otago or the Highlanders.

Saunders has been sidelined since wrenching his shoulder in what at the time appeared to be an innocuous training incident with the Highlanders in Queenstown on January 23.

Surgery was eventually needed, followed by months of rehabilitation and, last weekend, a return to the field with two tries in Otago B's big win against Waikato B.

"My shoulder came through it fine. It still gets a bit sore at times but that's just part of it," Saunders said.

"I was blowing pretty hard. I hadn't played since January so my match fitness wasn't great."

He is a naturally laid-back character but Saunders did not enjoy his enforced break.

"No, it's been terrible at times. I had a few setbacks during it that lengthened the recovery time.

"I was coming right and then I wasn't ... It got to the stage where I thought I wasn't going to play at all this year. Finally I got the scan that said I was clear.

"Everyone says you appreciate rugby more when you get injured. And you don't realise how much you miss it. Your career can be taken away from you tomorrow.

"Nothing even happened when I got injured. The shoulder just popped out for no reason."

Saunders seems to have been around a long time but he is still just 24 and hopefully his best years are still ahead of him.

He had his best season in 2005, when he played nine of 11 games for the Highlanders and 12 of 13 for Otago in its run to the NPC final. The year before, lower back and pelvic problems ruled him out of the NPC.

Saunders was part of a distinguished list this year to have shoulder problems.

He, Glen Horton, James Ryan, Tom Donnelly and Nick Evans all spent - or are about to spend - a significant amount of time on the sidelines because of their dicky shoulders.

"We've asked the physios and they say they have no idea. It's just happening. Maybe we're too runty.

"It's been phenomenal. You couldn't get a worse run."

Now that he is fit, Saunders can concentrate on convincing the Otago and Highlanders selectors he is an option to replace the departing Neil Brew at centre.

It was a shame Brew and Seilala Mapusua were leaving Otago at their peak, Saunders said.

"Those guys are leaving big holes and we can't hide that. Everyone knows there are holes and people have to step up.

"There's no excuses. We need people in the backline to take some of the pressure off Snapper Nick Evans."

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES