White Back Better than ever
10th July 2009 10:29AM
Article by Evan Pegden, WAIKATO TIMES.
Nathan White had to wait nearly two years before resuming his Waikato rugby playing career yesterday but the tight-head prop never gave up hoping it would happen.
White led Waikato yesterday in their first pre-season outing of the year a 16-13 loss to North Harbour at Massey and showed he has returned from two back operations better than ever. He has played 40 games for the Mooloos but last played for the province in September 2007 against Hawke's Bay.
"It's been a while but when you get back for Waikato it's always easy to get back up for them," White, 27, said after the game in which his team scored two tries to one but turned down some late penalty goals chances to win the game in favour of testing their attack patterns.
"Sometimes I didn't think I'd be back but I made it and I'm looking forward to this year."
White had surgery on his lower back to cure a bulging disc. It was redone last year after it flared up again after playing club rugby.
"I've had three games of club rugby before this one so this is my fourth game and it feels good but it's always the next day where you're going to notice it."
White said he never lost hope of playing again despite a back injury being the worst thing a prop could suffer but admitted last year's setback had been a "kick in the guts".
Captaincy was something he had always wanted to do with Waikato and he described it as pretty special. He certainly led from the front with his solid scrummaging and impressive ball-carrying.
"We got what we wanted out of it. For three trainings together it was pretty impressive, some young guys stood up and showed they are ready for the next step."
Waikato overcame some early ball-handling and lineout jitters to put together a solid showing, winning and recycling possession efficiently, sticking to a basic game plan and producing solid defence, which was mostly matched by Harbour's defending.
Waikato scored a try 23 minutes into each half at Moire Park, strong blind-side flanker Dominiko Waqaniburotu getting out wide to score the first one after an initial dab by lively first five Sam Christie and 18-year-old wing Glen Robertson scoring the second after strong carries from replacement flanker Jordan Smiler and No8 Alex Bradley.
The visitors led 5-3 at halftime and 8-6 early in the second spell until replacement first five Ben Botica, son of former All Black Frano Botica, set up the eventual matchwinning try for Harbour with a chip to the goal line for second five Andrew Mailei to regather on the full.
Robertson's try after the first chance of a kick at goal was turned down was followed by more penalties kicked to the corners but Waikato couldn't get the try they were looking for to finish it off despite intense pressure on the Harbour line.
Afterwards head coach Chris Gibbes said the coaches were "reasonably happy with where we're at".
Halfbacks Josh Sutherland and David Bason played impressively behind a hard-working pack while out wide Waikato tested the Harbour defence. Christie, Jackson Willison and Roimata Hansell-Pune impressed along with young replacements Maurice Stone, Declan O'Donnell and Frank Halai.
