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'Every game he almost has a highlights reel': How Malakai Fekitoa's comeback is going after 16-week layoff

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Ex-All Blacks midfielder Malakai Fekitoa has been hailed for his quick return to form at Wasps following the 16-week layoff with the groin injury that cost him a 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership final appearance. The New Zealander, who also decided to undergo shoulder surgery while sidelined with the groin issue sustained when scoring against Bristol in the league semi-final, made his comeback in the January 31 Premiership loss to Harlequins. 

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He also started in the follow-up home defeat to Northampton before being a major reason why last Sunday Wasps reversed their recent run with a win at Worcester.  

The 28-year-old, who arrived at Wasps last season via Toulon after calling time on his 24-cap All Blacks career, was thrust straight back into the mix by Lee Blackett due to Paolo Odogwu getting called up to the England Six Nations squad.

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    Who were the best players in round two of the Six Nations?

    The Wasps coach has been thrilled with what he has seen in recent weeks while he has also commended Fekitoa for the mentoring role he adopted during his injury layoff to help younger players at the Premiership club.

    “In an ideal world we probably would put him on the bench, just gave him a little bit of time and gradually brought him back, but with Paolo going with England he has come straight back in and I was delighted with him last weekend.

    “Sometimes you just need those key figures in your team, a talisman I would probably say, someone to go to for us. Malakai gives us that and it’s not just one side of the ball, it’s both sides. Look at the involvements in two tries last week. Massive involvements in them and currently on the other side of the ball, every game he almost has a highlights reel so defensively he is putting in some great shots. 

    “We are really pleased with how Malakai is doing but one thing he probably doesn’t get enough credit for is what he does off the field. He is someone within the set-up that constantly tries to pick things up. 

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    “It’s rare you see this. Joe Launchbury at the moment is working with a few of the younger guys and when Malakai was injured he put a lot of time in with Paolo, speaking a lot with Sam Spink, the young 13s within the group. Malakai does a lot of stuff like that behind the scenes. He is brilliant for the younger players.”  

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    M
    MS 1 hour ago
    Why Blair Kinghorn should be nailed on as the Lions starting 15

    I can see arguments for both Kinghorn, and Keenan starting for the Lions. But I’m less convinced by some of the claims (clearly partisan) supporters are using to argue the merits of one over the other.


    For example, a number of Ireland supporters have suggested Kinghorn is ‘defensively weak’. That’s patently false - or at least on the evidence of this 6N, he’s certainly no weaker there than Keenan is, who is presumably the comparative standard they’re using. Keenan was both shrugged off in contact, and beaten on the edge for pace, a number of times during this competition.


    Equally, Scotland supporters arguing Kinghorn is the more capable ‘rugby player’ seem to have overlooked the (frankly sizeable) body of evidence demonstrating that Keenan is an excellent ball in hand distributor and decision maker. So that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny either.


    I don’t think there’s all that much to choose between them, and either would be a strong choice. I think it would be really interesting from a pure rugby perspective to see Keenan playing a ‘Scotland-esque’ style of high tempo attacking rugby. Either coming into the line more routinely as first receiver, or being swung as a pendulum and getting the ball on the edge against a stretched defence.


    That’s assuming Andy Farrell goes that route, of course. He may well just opt for his Ireland system instead, and populate it with the likes of Henshaw, Ringrose, Lowe and Keenan. I’m sure that would win the series. Quite what effect it might have on a Lions audience who were expecting something other than ‘Ireland on tour, but wearing red’ would remain to be seen.


    As for the debate at FB, the only ‘eye test’ difference I feel exists is in the pace of rugby Kinghorn (Toulouse? Scotland?) tends to play. His passing/offload game feels crisper and higher tempo than Keenan’s - and as we saw in Paris, his pace and eye for a gap from deep are superior.


    But again, that will only prove a decisive factor if Andy Farrell wants to play that way. If all he wants from his FB is to sit deep, field high balls, and mop up then there’s little between these two equally excellent players.

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