Brumbies powerhouse Ita Vaea will step up an inspiring Super Rugby comeback when he starts against the Chiefs on Friday night.
Told his rugby career was over after scans found life-threatening blood clots on his heart, the 119kg backrower will play at No.8 for his first start in almost three years after luckless Wallaby star David Pocock was ruled out with an ankle injury.
Jarrad Butler will slide to the side of the scrum to cover at No.7 for Pocock, while Vaea will pack down at the back for the New Plymouth clash.
The last time Vaea started for the Brumbies was under former coach Jake White in 2012.
To say that it’s been a long road back since is a gross understatement.
Warned by doctors that he could have died during a rugby match, Vaea was quickly put on blood-thinning medication and began his recovery by limiting his top speed to a slow walk.
But last week’s 30-minute effort against the Queensland Reds off the bench proved to coach Stephen Larkham that Vaea was ready for another crack in the starting XV.
“In my time in rugby this has been one of the great fightback stories, right up there with Julian Huxley,” Larkham said.
“There’s no doubt we’ll miss David Pocock, but (last year) Jarrad Butler was outstanding.”
With Wallaby hooker Stephen Moore again to come off the bench as he continues his return from a knee reconstruction, the captaincy falls to scrumhalf Nic White.
The Chiefs have recalled big guns Aaron Cruden, Brodie Retallick and Liam Messam after all three were rested in their win over the Blues.
While Brumbies flyhalf Matt Toomua had a clear cut victory over Reds debutant No.10 Karmichael Hunt last week, he admits this week will be a huge step up.
He and fellow Wallaby Christian Lealiifano will mark All Blacks flyhalf Cruden and superstar No.12 Sonny Bill Williams respectively in that pair’s first Super Rugby game together in 2015.
And according to Toomua, 10-12 combinations don’t come much better.
“Cruden’s probably one of silkiest 10s in the competition. One of the form 10s in the world,” Toomua said.
“Sonny outside him offers a huge threat.
“There’s no bigger name in Australian or New Zealand sport.
“We’ve come up against similar combinations but this is one of the most skilfull ones.”
With the Chiefs beating the Brumbies in the 2013 grand final, and then the Brumbies getting revenge in the 2014 quarter final, there’s sure to be an extra bit of argy-bargy between the two sides.
“This rivalry has started to develop into a similar contest as what we faced with the Crusaders during my playing days,” Larkham said.
Brumbies: Robbie Coleman, Joe Tomane, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Henry Speight, Matt Toomua, Nic White (c), Ita Vaea, Jarrad Butler, Scott Fardy, Sam Carter, Rory Arnold, Ben Alexander, Josh Mann-Rea, Scott Sio. Res: Stephen Moore, JP Smith, Ruan Smith, Jordan Smiler, Sean Doyle, Michael Dowsett, James Dargaville, Lausii Taliauli.
Chiefs: James Lowe, Bryce Heem, Charlie Ngatai, Sonny Bill Williams, Hosea Gear, Aaron Cruden, Brad Weber, Maama Vaipulu, Sam Cane, Liam Messam (c), Mike Fitzgerald, Matt Symons, Siate Tokolahi, Hika Elliot, Jamie Mackintosh. Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Pauliasi Manu, Ben Tameifuna, Brodie Retallick, Tevita Koloamatangi, Augustine Pulu, Damian McKenzie, Seta Tamanivalu.
