Rugby: More game time key to fitness: Naholo

Highlanders back Waisake Naholo limbers up at training while loose forward Dan Pryor (front) gets down on the ground. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Highlanders back Waisake Naholo limbers up at training while loose forward Dan Pryor (front) gets down on the ground. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
Waisake Naholo rates himself as being only 50% fit.

Who knows what he can do if he gets to 100%?

Naholo, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Sunday with a lie-in and a nice lunch, came back into Super rugby last week with a try-scoring double in the Highlanders' win over the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night.

Naholo, who showed his speed and strength to score the tries, said he did not do a lot to dot down.

"Our forwards did most of the work. I just caught it and put it down,'' he said.

Winger Naholo said he was struggling to get through the game as his lack of match play quickly caught up with him.

"It wasn't easy. It was cramps and all that. It [match fitness] is still a work-on for me. I'm probably at 50-60% match fitness.

"You can do all the biking, and all the rowing but it is just the stuff when it comes to the game. The contact takes a lot out of you, running around the field and yelling and all that.''

The Fijian said the only way to get up to match fitness was doing exactly that - playing in matches.

Naholo broke his leg last year in a test against the Pumas in Christchurch.

He then broke the same leg in the first game of the season against the Blues.

But the leg gave him no issues last Saturday night.

"I didn't feel the leg. I didn't think about it at all when I went out to play. Every time you go out on to the field you could get injured, as it is a contact sport.''

Naholo may come up against another Fijian winger this week but it will not be the suspended Nemani Nadolo.

Northland winger Jone Macilai scored three tries for the Crusaders against the Reds on Friday night and looks to have plenty of speed and strength.

"He is quick. He is pretty quick. I think we have got a game plan to take care of him. It is just another challenge for me. You've got to be fast and skilful. I hope I just don't get burned out there.''

His Fijian team-mate, Patrick Osborne, is rumoured to be heading to Japan after this season but Naholo has signed on for another year at the Highlanders, next year.

He said he would have loved to have played sevens at the Olympics for New Zealand but, although he has New Zealand residency, he does not hold a New Zealand passport.

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