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'I couldn’t feel my left leg': Emoni Narawa gives injury update
Rising All Blacks star Emoni Narawa had his debut season in the black jersey cut short in 2023, with a back injury forcing the 24-year-old to miss the Rugby World Cup.
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The Chiefs winger’s breakthrough year was on track to see him make his World Cup debut in France, until a slipped disc ultimately saw him on the outside looking in just a week into the campaign.
The injury initially came about in the bolter’s All Blacks debut against Argentina in Mendoza, but Narawa was tracking well in the months following and even set a personal best of the year in some of the All Blacks’ speed testing while in England. Once in France though, things took a turn.
Former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster revealed: “It was the last thing he did in a skill block. He jarred it; it turns out it’s the other side of the disc.”
Recovery times for the injury can vary, and a few months into rehab, Narawa is being patient.
“I’m back in Hamilton doing three days a week now, doing rehab. But I can’t run at the moment, just on the treadmill,” Narawa told The New Zealand Herald.
“At the moment my focus is just getting my back right, [I’m just] taking it week by week.”
After a two-year stint with the Blues, Narawa credited the birth of his first child as a motivator in his rugby career, and a grounding experience in his personal life.
It was his family who were by his side in France that helped him deal wth the initial disappointment of missing the World Cup.
“My disc slipped down and is hitting a nerve. I couldn’t feel my left leg, it was numb. At the moment it’s up to my toes. Hopefully, it all goes away sometime soon.
“When it happened at training [in Lyon], I tried to stay positive the whole time but deep down I sort of saw it coming. I went in for a scan and turned out it was pretty bad. Not the best timing for it. [I was] gutted, but it is what it is.
“The family actually came over to France and we were able to do a bit of travelling over in Europe. It was good to be able to have them there, it was sort of bittersweet. It was really nice to have my two girls over there.
“As much as you think you’re all good with accepting that you’re out of the World Cup, it plays in your head a lot, but it was good to have a bit of time off and spend time with family.”
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Narawa signed with the Chiefs for the 2022 season where he played under his Bay of Plenty NPC coach Clayton McMillan, who promoted the youngster to the starting unit in 2023.
The Chiefs coach has found huge success at Super Rugby level after a poor period for the Waikato club. With an expansive style of play, McMillan has given his explosive back three of Shaun Stevenson, Etene Nanai-Seturo and Narawa the license to play with complete freedom, a luxury that has brought the best out of the trio.
The Chiefs will enter the 2024 season as one of, if not the favourites to lift the Super Rugby Pacific title, having retained more key talent and and off the field than their 2023 final opponents, the Crusaders.
Narawa is hopeful to make a full recovery in time to suit up for round one’s final rematch in Hamilton.
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“It’s always a privilege putting on that jersey and running out at FMG. You just can’t beat that feeling.”
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?
21 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.
64 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.
21 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
64 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