Blues coach Vern Cotter says Patrick Tuipulotu’s comeback was down to desire and luck
Thursday, 20 June 2024
Blues coach Vern Cotter says Patrick Tuipulotu’s surprising return from a knee injury was down to desire.
Tuipulotu was ruled out for the season only 11 days ago but is due to start in Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific final.
The Blues host the Chiefs at a sold-out Eden Park and will be aiming to win Super Rugby’s top prize for the first time since 2003.
Super Rugby Pacific final: Blues v Chiefs; Where: Eden Park, Auckland; When: Saturday, 7.05pm; Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1; live updates on Stuff.
Blues coach Vern Cotter says the miraculous comeback of Patrick Tuipulotu was down to desire and some good fortune.
Only 11 days ago, the Blues captain and All Blacks lock was ruled out for up to seven weeks because of a medial ligament injury in his right knee, a diagnosis that ended his Super Rugby Pacific season.
But the Blues sprung a major surprise on Wednesday afternoon when naming the 31-year-old of 43 tests in their second row for Saturday night’s final with the Chiefs at a sold-out Eden Park.
“Every individual responds differently to these kind of injuries. He’s lucky he’s got some well developed muscles around his thighs and calves,” Blues coach Vern Cotter said on Thursday.
“He bleeds blue blood. That’s the key to this. He’s been a big part of this season. It’s been a great adventure of ups and downs and characters growing and coming forward.”
Whether Tuipulotu will be fit enough to feature in next month’s All Blacks tests against England and Fiji is not clear, although it should be determined by how he handles the rigours of Saturday’s decider.
His situation is somewhat similar to the injury cloud that hovered over legendary Crusaders lock Sam Whitelock ahead of last year’s final in Hamilton.
The Crusaders beat the Chiefs to win their seventh successive title after former All Blacks coach Ian Foster said Whitelock would not play. He started the final, albeit with a less serious Achilles injury, and was outstanding in his final match for the red and blacks.
That was also Scott Robertson’s last dance as Crusaders coach before taking the All Blacks job. Cotter said Robertson’s coaching staff had no issue with Tuipulotu potentially jeopardising his involvement for the All Blacks in Super Rugby’s big occasion.
“They weren’t surprised and said it was fine,” Cotter said.
Tuipulotu’s return was unexpected. As recently as Tuesday, his replacement as skipper, Dalton Papali’i, was scheduled to attend Friday’s photo shoot with the captains and the trophy at Eden Park.
However, Cotter said the green light from their medical team and a robust session for the big lock on Tuesday indicated he could play after not needing surgery to heal his injury.
Tuipulotu hurt his knee in the first half of the Blues’ 36-5 quarterfinal win over the Fijian Drua at Eden Park on June 8.
“He didn’t entertain it in the first week [of his recovery], then came and said ‘hey boys, I feel much better’,” Cotter said.
“Paddy would be the first one to say if he was in peril. He’s a straight shooter and wouldn’t have put it himself there if he couldn’t contribute to an important game.”
Tuipulotu looked forlorn last week, wearing a large brace on his right knee in the build-up to their 34-20 semifinal win over the Brumbies.
His improbable recovery means he could still be the first Blues captain to lift Super Rugby’s top prize since Xavier Rush in 2003.
Blues loose forward Akira Ioane, who will play his final match in the decider ahead of moving to Japanese rugby, said the team was also surprised by his return.
“He just said he was out, and I take him for his word, then all of a sudden, he said ‘I might strap up for Saturday’. Crazy movements from him. It’s good, it shows how much he loves the boys and this team,” Ioane said.
It’s a major boost for the Blues because Tuipulotu has been the linchpin of their dominant forward pack.
His return alongside Sam Darry means Josh Beehre drops to the bench and James Thompson falls out of the 23.
Blues: Stephen Perofeta, Mark Tele’a, Rieko Ioane, AJ Lam, Caleb Clarke, Harry Plummer, Finlay Christie, Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papali’i, Akira Ioane, Sam Darry, Patrick Tuipulotu (capt), Marcel Renata, Ricky Riccitelli, Ofa Tu’ungafasi. Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu’a, Angus Ta’avao, Josh Beehre, Adrian Choat, Taufa Funaki, Bryce Heem, Cole Forbes.
Chiefs: Shaun Stevenson, Emoni Narawa, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rameka Poihipi, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Damian McKenzie, Cortez Ratima, Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson (capt), Samipeni Finau, Tupou Vaa’i, Jimmy Tupou, George Dyer, Tyrone Thompson, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Bradley Slater, Jared Proffit, Reuben O’Neill, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Simon Parker, Xavier Roe, Quinn Tupaea, Daniel Rona.