Vatuvei Looks Ahead After Breaking Arm

Vatuvei Looks Ahead After Breaking Arm

Wellington, New Zealand, October 24, 2010 – Devastated Kiwi winger Manu Vatuvei hopes to be back training in six weeks after a broken arm ended his Four Nations campaign minutes after it had started at Westpac Stadium in Wellington last night.

While the Kiwis opened the 2010 tournament with a 24-10 victory against England, it came with a heavy cost as Vatuvei was ruled out of the rest of the event.

The match was only three minutes old when he reeled out of a tackle holding his right arm. He was immediately taken to hospital for x-rays which confirmed he had a displaced fracture of the radius in his forearm, the result of coming into contact with England centre Michael Shenton’s elbow.

While the Kiwis, now reduced to a 22-man squad, fly out of Wellington for Rotorua this afternoon, Vatuvei (24) will return home to Auckland for an operation to insert a rod in his right arm.

Fronting the media at the Kiwis’ Wellington hotel this morning, Vatuvei, his arm in a cast, said he was devastated his tournament was move. “It’s disappointing I’m out of the campaign now but this is all part of rugby league. It wasn’t my day,” he said.

“I need an operation to have a rod inserted and I’ve been told I might have a cast on for six weeks. After that I should be able to start training again.” Vatuvei had only just resumed his Test career. Last weekend’s international against Toa Samoa was his first since the 2009 Anzac Test against the Kangaroos.

While he has had numerous other injuries, Vatuvei said the broken arm in his 19th Test – the outing briefest of his career – was a new experience. “I didn’t realise it was broken at first,” he said.

“I went in to assist Junior (Sa’u) in a tackle and my arm hit (Michael Shenton’s) elbow. It was our trainer Dayno (Dayne Norton) who told me I’d broken my arm.”

Vatuvei sat on the sideline briefly before being taken to hospital for x-rays. “I didn’t see any of the game but I heard it on the radio,” he said.

“I didn’t want to stay at the ground. I was a bit upset and disappointed. “I have to move on and leave it behind me now but I’m devastated that I have to leave my brothers like this.”

Vatuvei has finished the year with 22 tries in 21 games including 20 in 19 NRL appearances for the Vodafone Warriors.

Under the tournament’s rules, the Kiwis can’t replace him and must continue with just 22 players. However, they still have three wingers left in their squad – Jason Nightingale, who again played impressively on the right wing last night, 16-Test veteran Sam Perrett and debutant Antonio Winterstein.

It’s expected the Kiwi side to face Papua New Guinea in Rotorua next Saturday night will be named on Wednesday morning.

ENDS

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