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Baker details the horror jaw break that left him unable to eat for two days
I may have two steel plates in my jaw and assorted screws attached to elastic bands in my mouth, but I will still be loudly cheering on my USA teams mates as they attempt to defend the Las Vegas title in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series this weekend.
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All of that metalwork is the result of a clash of heads when I played against Tonga in the HSBC New Zealand Sevens in Hamilton and it meant I had to leave my team mates behind and head back to San Diego for surgery. The impact left me with two fractures of the jaw and that is why I now have two steel plates that will remain in place. The screws will come out – hopefully in a couple of weeks – and at the moment they have elastic bands attached to them to help my recovery.
I have had three sets of bands, each with a different tension, with the tightest first keeping my mouth shut which meant I was on a liquid diet for two weeks.
Then a medium set went on and allowed me to eat soft food and get used to opening closing my mouth again. This week we have the lighter bands which help guide the teeth back into the right place and I can now eat most things but I haven’t tried chewing a steak yet – that can wait! My latest scan on the jaw was great and I feel really positive and I cannot wait to get all of those screws out.
Any injury is frustrating but this week is even harder to deal with because having helped the Eagles squad win the HSBC USA 7s in Las Vegas title last season, I was desperate to defend it again on our own soil. Instead, I will be helping the squad in any way I can because this is a great opportunity to build on what we have achieved in the Series. We are joint top with New Zealand heading into the Las Vegas leg having made the final of all four tournaments in the Series and with Vancouver following a week later this is key part of the season.
I knew immediately that my jaw was damaged after that clash of heads and I was conscious throughout and there was considerable pain from the right side of my face. The impact was big because he was running in to make the tackle and I was going at pace and the blow snapped my jaw in half. I broke it on the bottom right side with the break going through my molar and on the upper part of the jaw there was another break.
I wasn’t able to eat anything for two days and after surgery it was a case of blended food, shakes and broth which meant I lost weight. My wife has been so supportive, looking after my food and ensuring I was able to eat despite the restrictions caused by the injury. I don’t have much fat on my body and so my weight loss was muscle which meant I was determined to do as much fitness work as possible when I was given the all clear to train by the surgeon. I have put the weight back on and am working out all the time.
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Because contact work is out of the question, I have worked with the track and field guys at our training base but have been in the gym with the rest of my Sevens team mates every day and their support has been important. I will be there with them in Las Vegas and in the build-up to this year’s tournament there have been so many posts and videos put up online of the win last year and I am thinking “man, did I really take part in that!” It was a such a special moment for the squad and having reached the final of every leg this season, everyone involved with the USA team wants to back up last year’s win and keep us at the top of the rankings.
The performances this season along with the behind the scenes Pioneers video produced by HSBC about the USA squad has generated even more interest in the sport at home and if we could win the Las Vegas title again it would mean everything to us. Normally, we kick on after Las Vegas having started slowly, but this season we have reached every final which means I am really excited about what we can achieve. We have talked about being a top four team and clinching automatic qualification for next year’s Olympic Games in Japan, but our mindset has changed and now we are asking the question: “why can’t we be No1 in the world?”
That is the message heading into Las Vegas and I cannot wait to get back out there with the guys.
Comments on RugbyPass
Best thing the Welsh clubs could do is apply to join Gallagher prem surely be more exciting matches for there support than they have now.
2 Go to commentsRugbyPass writers are useless! you guys should get a real job because you all suck at writing about rugby!!!
8 Go to commentslooking forward to RWC2027 …. Boks on mission impossible for the Three-in-a-row, ABs to prove they being on par, France wishing to crown the “DuPont-era”, Ireland knocking on the Semi-Door ….. until then we’ll probably have to deal with Weird Ben’s fantasy-RWC23 (fun fact is, the drivel always creates a flooding of comments) …..
221 Go to commentsBen Smith you really make some good points in this article, the Springboks were not close to perfect and good still beat the All Blacks, imagine if they were as good as they were against France what a hiding the All Blacks would have gotten… maybe another Twickenham drubbing
221 Go to commentsIt is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
19 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
221 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
221 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
62 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
19 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
62 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
6 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
8 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
221 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
8 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
8 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
8 Go to comments