Sevens trip to Borneo ends badly for Otago pair

A trip to Borneo has not ended well for Otago players Gavin Stark and Jonathan Ruru.

Borneo is better known as a rugged jungle island with  a diversity of animal life  but the Malaysian city of Sandakan on the island hosted a sevens tournament last weekend.

A New Zealand development team, known as the Borneo Eagles, played in the tournament and came out on top.

It featured Stark and Ruru,  who ended up with injuries from the tournament.

Ruru, who had played for the New Zealand sevens team last year, injured his knee  during the crucial last play against an Australian  side  which won the game for the New Zealanders,  19-14. There were fears he had badly injured his anterior cruciate ligament and may miss the entire season. He has had an MRI and is awaiting results.

It is tough luck for Ruru who was believed to being considered by Super Rugby franchises,  given injured players are dropping like flies around the country.

Stark badly injured his hamstring — it is a grade-two tear. He will be out of club play for University for a few weeks. Otago has already been hit with injuries, and Hayden Parker badly injured his knee while training with the Highlanders in January. But he may make it back to play for Otago this season.

He could be  ready for play by September although his match fitness may take a while longer.

Otago coach Cory Brown said Parker was positive about the future.

Otago captain Paul Grant was impressing at Bath in English rugby and was getting plenty of playing minutes, Brown said. He intends to contact Grant over the next few weeks to see if the No8 wanted to come back and play for Otago again.

Ironically, Grant left for Bath after not getting a shot with the Highlanders. But with all the injuries the franchise had picked up already  this season Grant would have surely joined the Highlanders if still in Dunedin.

Meanwhile, youngster Thomas Umaga-Jensen has moved his provincial allegiances back to Wellington.

In the somewhat hazy rules of modern rugby, Umaga-Jensen (19) had  signed with the Highlanders and will continue to play for the University club in Dunedin.

But he has signed to play for Wellington, wanting to play with his twin,  Peter.

Umaga-Jensen was signed by Otago for last season, after starring for Scots College in Wellington,  and was said to be a midfielder with a big future.

But a hip injury severely limited his playing minutes last season.