NSW captain Dave Dennis is clinging to the hope he may still feature in the NSW Waratahs’ finals campaign despite seemingly having his Super Rugby season cut short by yet another serious knee injury.
Dennis suffered a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament in the Waratahs’ 39-8 rout of the Brumbies on Saturday night and faces the shattering likelihood of missing the top-placed side’s push for an historic maiden championship.
The former Wallabies flanker has already endured two knee reconstructions and even Brumbies skipper Ben Mowen, a former NSW teammate of Dennis’, said he was devastated for the 28-year-old.
“I feel absolutely gutted for the bloke,” Mowen said after being on the wrong end of a five-tries-to-one drubbing at ANZ Stadium.
“He’s obviously a good mate of mine and we played together at the Tahs for many years.
“I was actually on the training paddock with him when he was coming back from his first ACL (operation) and he did his other leg at the first session back.
“At the time, I had an ankle injury so he was my training partner so I know how hard he’s worked to come back.
“I think he went shoulder reco, double ACL to get back to captaining the side and positioning them really well for a run into the finals.
“It’s a really cruel shame that he doesn’t get to reap the rewards of that because I know how much he’s invested to position that side.
“He’s obviously a very strong leader and a big performer for them. It will be hard to fill that spot.”
Dennis lay in agony after a tackle gone wrong on Brumbies winger Henry Speight in the 35th minute, but attempted a brave face after arriving at the post-match press conference on crutches.
“I just tweaked my knee a bit in a contest,” he said.
“It doesn’t feel ideal but I’ll get scans in the morning. Hopefully it’s minor. You never know.
“I’ve obviously had past issues in my knee and hopefully it’s just a little tear in the meniscus or something like that and not too serious and I can push on.”
NSW coach Michael Cheika admitted the Waratahs sang the victory song “with a little less vigour”.
“We’re not dreamers. It obviously looks like it’s serious,” he said.
“But at the same time … we don’t want to give up anything until it’s absolutely necessary to give up.
“That’s why he wanted to come to the press conference. It’s why I wanted him to come to the press conference and just show that.”
Cheika said even if scans confirmed the worst, Dennis would remain a key figure in the Waratahs’ title quest.
“Obviously Dave’s been an integral part of the team’s development … he will continue to be that as well,” he said.
“We’re not going to put up the RIP sign.”
