Stanley left counting his lucky stars

By WYNNE GRAY

When Jeremy Stanley heard he had been fortunate to escape life in a wheelchair, he knew his rugby career was over.

There was no debate, no point in getting a second opinion. Stanley had cheated tragedy and was not going to tempt fate any further.

The difficulty was getting his head round the fact that his rugby days were behind him, not in front.

His father and fellow centre, Joe Stanley, had made his All Black test debut at 29 and here Jeremy was, three years younger, also a former All Black and also a former player.

Just over a fortnight ago, when Stanley carted the ball up in midfield against Taranaki, he was hit in a double tackle and felt pain down both his arms.

"I completely lost the feeling in my left arm," he recalled yesterday.

He left the field, returned for a short spell and then quit with the pain too severe.

A scan in Auckland and diagnosis by a doctor confirmed the problem.

Stanley had compressed his neck in the incident and a couple of discs were pushing on his spinal cord. The scan also revealed that he had been born with a narrow spinal canal, and like Brisbane Broncos forward Gorden Tallis, he suffered from cervical stenosis.

More than two weeks after the Taranaki injury, Stanley still has tingling and numbness down both arms, though he hopes that will settle down by the end of the month when he has to see the surgeon again.

If there has not been an improvement then, he might need an operation.

At least he understands all the scenarios and has a career to turn to after studying medicine and graduating as a doctor following stints at Auckland and Otago Medical Schools.

It is still tough though, on someone who loves his sport.

At the weekend Stanley went out and "celebrated" at his retirement party.

"It was kind of weird to say I was 26 and retired," he said.

Stanley's exit from rugby ends an injury-plagued career. He represented Auckland, Otago, the Highlanders and the Blues, was picked for three matches on the All Blacks' 1997 tour of Britain but has suffered from multiple serious injuries.

Knee surgery and a reconstruction kept him out of the game for at least a season, he could not overcome a groin injury during this year's Super 12, before his neck and spinal troubles.

"I think in the last three years I have not played one game where I have not been in pain or had some injury," he said.

"I think my body was telling me it had enough.

"This latest one was a bit scary, though. I think I was pretty lucky.

"The surgeon said I could have ended up in a wheelchair and said he did not want me to play again."

Stanley also revealed that he regularly suffered from "stingers" when he played rugby.

When he tackled his arms would sting or burn and go weak.

"They have been doing that for some time but the feeling usually comes back after five or 10 minutes," he said.

Wallaby five-eighths Stephen Larkham has also been complaining of "stingers" this season, a problem brought on by nerves in his neck being stretched.