Family remedy works for Fuga

Chris Jones13 April 2012
Newcastle 12 Harlequins 17

Tani Fuga today revealed the family advice that helped heal a serious ankle injury and allowed the Samoan hooker to power Harlequins into the European Shield Final against Narbonne on 20 May.

Fuga damaged his ankle in a recent league match with Wasps and was reduced to hobbling around on crutches with his season apparently over. However, a rib injury to Ireland captain Keith Wood and the decision by Shield organisers to stop Quins registering 19-year-old hooker Johnny Rodham forced Fuga to try to get himself fit.

If Fuga had not won his battle, then Quins would have pulled out of their semi-final at Leeds and handed Newcastle the game. Instead, with the Samoan battering into the opposition, the London club gained revenge for their Tetley's Bitter Cup Final defeat by the same opposition.

After savouring the victory, Fuga said: "I was struggling with my ankle, so I called my mother back home and asked her what I should do. Her advice was to put the damaged ankle under a hot water tap and to get my wife to rub the injury. It may sound simple, but it worked."

Fuga bolstered this water treatment with regular sessions with the Quins medical team, but they had admit the rapid recovery of the Samoan must have had something to do with that advice from 12,000 miles away.

Mark Evans, the Quins chief executive whose decision to take over the forwards' coaching at Christmas has helped turn the club around, was happy to allow Fuga to follow whatever routine he wanted as long as it got him on to the pitch.

Although it did not constitute involving a faith healer like Eileen Drewery, Evans believes the combination of hot water and Mrs Tuga's hands was "an unorthodox treatment".

Evans said: "There were a number of players in the Quins side who should not have been near a rugby pitch because they are carrying injuries, but we managed to patch them up and Tani responded remarkably well to his unorthodox treatment.

"At Christmas, we set ourselves three goals: avoiding relegation, winning the Tetley's Bitter Cup and winning the European Shield. So far, we have avoided the drop, lost the Tetley's Final to a controversial try and reached the final of the Shield. With four weeks off before that match, we have time to get other players fully fit."

The final is to be played at the Madjeski Stadium, which should give Quins an advantage, with the majority of the 20,000-capacity filled by their fans.

Narbonne were shock winners against Agen in the other semi-final and the Quins coaching staff will now attempt to build up a video library of the French club's recent performances.

Wood is certain he will be available for selection in the final and Fuga's ankle should be in great shape after more hot water and massage treatment. However, Paul Burke, who broke a bone in his hand against Leicester, will miss out, allowing Scotland outside-half Craig Chalmers a high profile last game for Quins.

Chalmers scored all 17 points against Newcastle. His loan spell from Glasgow runs out before the Narbonne game and he is looking for a new deal.

Jonny Wilkinson, the England and Newcastle No 10, will miss the Zurich Premiership play-offs after sustaining another worrying neck injury against Quins and is being given a month's rest before the Lions tour to Australia.

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