'We couldn't believe he put the boots on and ran out there' - Luke Morahan on Siale Piutau's sacrifice
Luke Morahan headed away from Twickenham a fortnight ago in agony. His shoulder had been damaged in a season-ending fashion and an operation would be required to put it right and ensure he will be back in the mix come the summer pre-season.
However, that wound was insignificant compared to the pain barrier Siale Piutau, his Bristol colleague, courageously played through.
The midfielder had only learned some hours earlier that his sister Ema, a defence lawyer from Auckland, had died following a short illness.
But rather than pull out of the Gallagher Premiership match versus Bath, the Bears co-captain insisted on playing in front of a crowd of 60,000 that included his currently injured brother Charles.
Morahan couldn’t quite believe Siale’s dedication to the club. “Yeah, it’s unbelievable,” said the Australian to RugbyPass. “A lot of us were talking and we couldn’t believe that he put the boots on and ran out there.
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“As an immensely emotional player it would have been very difficult, but it just goes to show what this club means to these guys and what rugby means to them and their families.
“We 100 per cent supported him in whatever he would have done and he just wanted to run out with us that day. That gives you a lot of perspective and a lot of belief that this guy is running out with you is out there because he loves to be playing with you. It was a huge effort from Siale and we’re very appreciative he decided to do that.”
That type of unwavering dedication highlighted rugby’s unifying qualities – Piutau had been bereaved, yet he thought it best he stood by his rugby family before returning New Zealand to properly grieve.
Contrast that with the regular divisive rows coursing through the sport in Australia, such as the expulsion of Western Force from Super Rugby and the current controversy that is the push to terminate Israel Folau’s contract following his latest use of social media.
Getting into the ins and out of the Folau situation isn’t for Morahan. What bugs him is the negative commentary it has generated for rugby union, the sort of headache it doesn’t need when trying to compete for young hearts and minds in the crowded Australian sports landscape.
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“I’m not surprised there has been a lot of controversy following what has happened but it’s disappointing that these are the headlines that Australian rugby is getting because they are not in the best state in terms of the game itself in the country.
“They don’t really need this sort of negativity at the moment, so hopefully it sorts itself out and we can get back to the rugby side of things. With the World Cup coming it is important for us to do well on the international stage.
“You see Australian teams doing well in Super Rugby, so if we can transfer that to some success in the World Cup it would be vitally important for the game in Australia. It’s what we need – we need a bit of some good fortune and strong passion behind the game within Australia.
“But it’s always the case (with controversy). If it’s something that is going to sell the newspapers that is what they will pick up on, but hopefully what they will be selling newspapers for is Wallaby success in the near future,” continued the 29-year-old before switching to the pervious massive row that engulfed Rugby Australia, the jettison of the Force from Super Rugby.
Morahan was immune in the sense that his deal with Bristol had been signed before the definitive decision was made to cut the Force. But all the same, he was bemused by what happened and hopes his old franchise can make a successful go in their planned new tournament with a variety of Asian franchises.
“It was a tough period, but I’d known that I was moving on prior to that happening. I have still got a lot of mates playing down there and they’re enjoying it.
Legendary hospitality here in #japan Coming together after a great battle on the field with @CC_RedSparks & #SanixBlues Looking forward to the next step up against @JRFURugby ‘A’ team in #tokyo next weekend pic.twitter.com/27RcZm2lwh
— AndrewReadyOfficial (@AndrewReady02) April 20, 2019
“It’s disappointing that the competition had to be delayed again for another year but they are playing these exhibition games at the moment and you can see the crowds turning out for them. It’s a pretty high standard of rugby.
“The guys who I have spoken to who are still there are really enjoying it. They’re in Japan at the moment, so they are travelling a lot and getting the most out of it. Hopefully, their competition starts next year and it takes off because it would be great for them but also World Rugby. It would be great to see a competition in that region that does well.”
Morahan had initially signed for Bristol believing it was the Premiership he would be competing in. Their relegation before he arrived in summer 2017 knocked that assumption on the head and it was only last September, following a detour season travelling the highways and byways of England on Championship duty, that he belatedly got to learn all about the true competitiveness of the elite league.
“It was a bit of a step down in terms of the speed of the games,” he recalled about his Championship penance. “Super Rugby is a very quick competition in terms of the length and also the speed of the game. Coming over here to a competition like the Championship was a bit slower.
“The quality was definitely there, the physicality was very high, but it was much slower and a much longer run competition. Throughout the winter it felt like that. It was a little bit different, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
“You got to see the countryside pretty well in the Championship. You went to some far-out places, but that was great. That was part of the reason why I wanted to come over, to go around and see new places, and you definitely do that with the Championship.
“You get to go to some pretty strong rugby communities who really enjoy the sport and get out and support their local team. It’s great to get out there and be a part of that and see the somewhat grassroots-type games being played in those sorts of areas. It was enjoyable.”
Now, though, it’s all about the Premiership and while Morahan is confined to the stands as Bristol chase down a possible Champions Cup qualification spot, his injury has allowed him some space to reflect on how good for his game his switch to England has been.
“I definitely think I have grown as a player. The Premiership has taught me a lot about turning up week in, week out, but it’s more so the Bristol environment that I have been a part of and the coaching staff. I’ve learned a lot from them.
Didn’t quite get there yesterday. However, bears fans out in full
force once again. Epic day competing in The Clash. #COYB 🐻 pic.twitter.com/AsAtov8CDl— luke morahan (@Ljmorahan) April 7, 2019
“Pat (Lam) has been fantastic in learning a lot from a game plan standpoint. Positionally we have some world-class players like Charles Piutau and those guys, you can’t help but learn a lot from them. Pat’s instilling confidence within the group and within you individually for you to go out and play and do your best.
“I have learned a lot in terms of game play, strategy, self-confidence and your ability. All that side of things has been fantastic and I have grown massively as a player being over here.”
Having tried to spread the rugby message in a place like Perth, Morahan is clued into what Bristol are up to in their community. He endorses the work their community foundation gets up to in stitching rugby in the fabric of a football-dominated region and he happily represented the Bears at their Gallagher Train with your Heroes session for the Cheddar RFC under-10s.
Great night down at the @Cheddar_Rugby club. Some serious talent coming through. Thanks to @GallagherUK for organising this great event. #grassroots https://t.co/PTV8sAArsk
— luke morahan (@Ljmorahan) April 17, 2019
“It’s fundamentally what we’re about. As a Bristol Bears group now inspiring the community through rugby, it goes hand in hand. The better we do, the better things are off the field in the community.
“It’s important for us to get out and support that message, support the grassroots stuff. It’s all part of what we believe as a group. We want to achieve off the field and bringing young Bristol guys through to end up playing for the Bears would be fantastic.
“It’s part of our vision and this community work is all part of the fundamentals we have to lay down to be able to achieve that later.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ireland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
43 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
43 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
43 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
43 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
43 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
43 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
43 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
43 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
43 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
43 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
7 Go to comments