The Hurricanes have confirmed that All Blacks wing Julian Savea will be rejoining the team for the rest of the Super Rugby Aotearoa season.
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland confirmed that 54-Test-capped wing has officially rejoined the squad on Monday.
Looking forward to rejoining my brothers down at the @Hurricanesrugby for the remainder of the season ???? blessed to get this opportunity and very grateful! Back to my where it all started https://t.co/filO3USnbj
— Julian Savea (@juliansavea7) July 26, 2020
It is unclear how much game time Savea could get as the Hurricanes have a bye this weekend and he won’t be fit for the following weekend’s match against the Chiefs.
That would leave him with the final-round fixture against the Hurricanes on 15 August as his only chance to take the field.
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Rumours of Savea’s return were sparked when he tweeted a video of his younger brother and Hurricanes loose forward Ardie in action against the Crusaders with the caption, ‘See you soon’.
Savea last played for the Hurricanes in 2018, before he joined French giants Toulon in a move which had mixed success.
His return comes at a good time for the Hurricanes, though, as the Wellington-based side bid wing Ben Lam farewell, who made his final appearance in the win over the Crusaders before a move to France. The Hurricanes have also lost form centre Ngani Laumape to a broken forearm, which will keep him out for the rest of the season.
‘Both Ngani and Fraser [Armstrong] have fractures, so will have to have operations in the next few days, both of them,’ Holland confirmed. ‘Which is bittersweet when you look at the result but that’s life and that’s footy.’
Savea is the third experienced All Black to move back to New Zealand after Dan Carter signed for the Blues and Nehe Milner-Skudder joined the Highlanders.
Photo: Rob Jefferies/Getty Images
