Wallabies fly-half Christian Lealiifano is being carefully managed during the Rugby World Cup in Japan according to strength and conditioning coach Brad Harrington.
Lealiifano returned to rugby in late 2017 following a year out of the professional game to undergo treatment for leukaemia.
However, against most odds the out-half went from strength to strength upon his return to Super Rugby with Australian franchise the Brumbies and incredibly not only played in but started all of the team’s 18 games last season.
His form during last season was so good that he was called back up to the Wallabies squad during the summer after finishing his season in the Super Rugby semi-finals, before going on to be named among the 31-man World Cup squad for the Wallabies.
Despite his set-backs and age Harrington has admitted that the recently turned 32 is faster and stronger than he was before his cancer but he does need to be carefully monitored to keep him in the best shape possible.
“Obviously Christian’s a different case where we need to look at how he’s travelling with his health each week and manage him accordingly. It’s just probably the intensity of the game takes more out of him and he’s getting older too, so we’ve got to manage our older athletes a little bit differently. That’s the sort of balancing act with him but it’s something that the Brumbies did really well this year and we’ve learned a fair bit off them,” he said.
Lealiifano is given more time to recover following a matchday as well as having differing gym work and training to other players in order to allow him to produce his best form on the pitch.
The Wallaby is set to leave the Brumbies and Australia come the end of the World Cup as he heads to Japan to continue his remarkable rugby journey.
Lealiifano is competing with Bernard Foley and Matt To’omua for the Wallabies No 10 jersey at the World Cup, where he is currently finding it tough to gain top form.
However, he will hope to be given a chance to impress by head coach Michael Cheika when the Wallabies take on Uruguay on Saturday, and if provided with a chance don’t be surprised if he takes it with both hands and runs.
