Mealamu to miss opening Super Rugby rounds

All Blacks and Blues hooker Keven Mealamu has revealed that he will miss the opening rounds of the 2015 Super Rugby season.

Mealamu is taking a cautious approach to the 2015 Super Rugby season as it’s the last chance he will have to appear in a Rugby World Cup.

In Mealamu’s absence the one-test-All Black James Parsons is expected to step up for the Blues as he did last year.

Thirty-five-year-old Mealamu wants to preserve his dodgy calves and ensure that he is in the best possible shape so he will miss the Blues opener against the Chiefs and their trip to South Africa and aim to start the season in Round Four.

“I’m looking to play the game when the boys get back from Africa,” Mealamu said today as Super Rugby kicked off its annual launch with a spot of archery at Auckland’s College Riffles club.

“It’s a good chance to get a bit of extra conditioning under the belt. I feel like I’ve arrived in really good nick but that trip over there in the past couple of years I’ve picked up an injury.”

Mealamu’s importance to the All Blacks is high even though they have tried to tutor Dane Coles and Chiefs hooker Nathan Harris before he was injured in his second Test.

All Black coach Steve Hansen will be sweating on a number of players fitness through the 2015 Super Rugby season and he will be keeping a watchful eye on Mealamu with the world cup in mind.

“For now a lot of the players will have that in the back of their heads,” Mealamu told Stuff.

“There’s so much rugby between now and then. With no June (international) series this year Super Rugby is going to be a big grind. “

“Arriving in top shape is going to be important to make sure you can play well until the end of the year.”