Rugby: Hopes high for Weepu's return

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper is hoping Piri Weepu will be fit to play against the Brumbies on Saturday. Photo / Getty Images

Piri Weepu completed training in Wellington today, sparking hopes the Hurricanes playmaker will be fit to play in the Saturday's Super 14 rugby match against the ACT Brumbies.

A hamstring injury has ruled Weepu out of the team's last two clashes but coach Colin Cooper said he hoped he would be back on board for this weekend.

"He got through training, obviously we've just got to talk to medical (staff) this afternoon."

Cooper had previously said the hamstring strain was only minor but he was not prepared to risk playing him.

Besides Weepu, a couple of other players were suffering from a couple of niggles, Cooper said.

"We've been pretty good with not overloading players too, particularly in the forwards. So we'll just have a look and if we need to do rotation or if we need to rest for injuries or overworking, then we'll look at that too."

The team is named tomorrow.

Cooper said he was confident about his fourth-placed team's prospects going into Saturday's game against a Brumbies side three places below them but having won their last three games.

"We're looking pretty good after a couple of wins in a row, and to come back from South Africa with that, there's a lot of confidence in the group," he said.

"It's such a mental game, the Super 14, particularly this year with all the travel and the teams being so tired, it's about how you handle the pressure."

- NZPA