All 44 players named in the All Blacks squad to tour South Africa have required resilience and fortitude to get where they are but few more so than Emoni Narawa, the man who punctured a lung while playing against the Springboks last year.
Wing Narawa had just scored a try for the All Blacks at Eden Park a minute or so into the Test last September before colliding under a high ball with a Boks opponent.
He was forced to leave with field with what he initially felt was a back injury or sore ribs and was diagnosed with broken ribs, one of which had punctured a lung.
That led to eight months on the sidelines but that wasn’t the last of his bad luck. On his return to the Chiefs this year he broke a foot which led to another four months out.
Narawa has also recently recovered from a wrist injury and ruefully reminded 1News yesterday while on a visit with several All Blacks teammates to Birkenhead Primary School on Auckland’s North Shore that he was ruled out of the 2023 World Cup after the first week with a slipped disc in his back.
“To be called back into the squad is pretty special and a reward for all those who helped my rehabilitation journey and my family,” Narawa said.
“I probably haven’t had the smoothest run in the All Blacks jersey. Luck just hasn’t been on my side. Hopefully that changes. I’m just really blessed and grateful to be back in the squad.”
The 27-year-old Narawa, who has played only four Tests since making his All Blacks debut in 2023, is a pacey and elusive runner who appears ideally suited to head coach Dave Rennie’s attacking game plan.
Narawa is one of seven outside backs in the squad and appears to be the main rival for Will Jordan’s No.14 jersey but he can also play fullback. He could also be a good chance to play in the team’s opening match against the Stormers in Cape Town on August 8.
Loose forward Ethan Blackadder deserves credit for coming back from his own injury challenges but few can beat Narawa’s misfortune.
“We know we’ve got a good squad and we know the challenge ahead of us,” Narawa said of the South African tour.
“Whether we’re named to play or not the whole team is chasing one dream and that’s putting on a good performance over there. We know what’s coming. Obviously, they’re a proud nation and love their footy.”
Loosehead prop Ethan de Groot, meanwhile, is looking forward to coming up against the best scrum in the world.
“It’s always nice playing the Springboks, they’ve been dominating scrums for I don’t know how long,” he said. “It’s nice to test yourself against the best.
“They don’t mess around and play games and collapse scrums. They’re honest scrummagers, so I like that part of it.”
de Groot said he was supposed to make his Highlanders debut against the Lions in Johannesburg in 2020 but the trip was called off due to Covid.
While he has several Tests against the Boks under his belt, he has yet to play a South African club team.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re all about.”
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