Braid recovering well

Blues Head coach David Nucifora has been keeping close tabs on Daniel Braid’s recovery from a shoulder injury and expects him to be available for selection when the Blues return from South Africa.

“While we’re away, we keep close tabs on the training and recovery of players at home. All reports indicate Daniel is on track and will begin contact work this week.” he says on the Blues website.

Braid won the Rebel Sport Super 14 Player of the Year in 2007 after his outstanding performances in the Super 14 has been recovering from shoulder surgery and not yet played for the Blues in 2008.

The injury was sustained during the Air New Zealand Cup last year but it was not apparent surgery was required until near the end of the competition.

“We’ve been working on a timeline for Daniel’s return and the medical staff and strength and conditioning coaches formulated a training programme to ensure he remained fit and strong while recuperating,” says Nucifora.

While he believes there are a few minor impacts on the role of a No 7 with the inclusion of the new ELVs (Experimental Law Variations), he says Daniel, like the rest of his team-mates will find he has stepped into a faster game.

“And like the others, he will have to be supremely fit in order to perform at his best. Otherwise its business as usual.”

The Blues play the Sharks this weekend and then they head back to New Zealand where they play the Force at North Harbour Stadium on on Saturday the 15th of March.