Injured All Blacks midfielder David Havili is one step closer to returning to play, training at 100% with the Tasman Mako.
Being able to return home and continue his recovery with the Mako has been the "mental reset" the 28-year-old needed after sustaining a hamstring injury during round 14 of the Super Rugby season between the Crusaders and Waratahs in May.
"Rugby takes a toll when you're going week to week so it's been good to step away for it a bit and get a bit of enjoyment back," Havili told 1News.
The recovery hasn't all been rosy though.
"It was pretty tedious at the start getting into rehab," he said.
"The first two or three weeks were about re-engaging the hamstring and getting it strong. Then when I could run within a month it was about getting the load back in and making sure nothing else was breaking."
He's progressing well, tracking towards a return to play through Tasman in the next fortnight — a rare treat given he hasn't played for his home province since 2020, when he led the side to back-to-back NPC titles.
"This club's given me a lot of opportunities so [I'll do] anything I can do to repay them and what I can do to help this team is start well in the next couple of weeks or next month."
His ultimate goal though is to be back with the All Blacks, with the Rugby World Cup now just six weeks away.
Asked whether he'd spoken to All Blacks coach Ian Foster, he said there have been a few conversations but "nothing serious".
"Three weeks ago I probably wasn't doing a lot of high-speed stuff so it was just about me getting back on the field, fit and healthy which I've done that," he said.
Of course, the true test will be how the body holds up when he does finally take the field for Tasman.
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