Colin Slade has had his bones tested and they are not weak. They are, in fact, stronger than most.
Slade was seen as the man to lead the Highlanders back to credibility, back to successful times.
Although they have reached that promised land, Slade has been mainly a sideline player.
He has been cursed with injury.
The first five-eighth broke his upper and lower jaws last year, ruining his season. He was picked for the All Blacks at the World Cup, but had to cry off in the quarterfinal after injuring his groin.
He got an infection, due to complications from his groin injury, and had to return to hospital.
Then he had to have a hernia operation in January before the Highlanders had kicked off this season.
He was slow out of the blocks but appeared to be getting back to his best when he badly broke his leg in the match against the Brumbies in late March.
"I knew it was broken straight away. I felt something was wrong. I never heard the crack but lots of other people did. The doctors on the sideline reckoned they heard it," Slade said.
"I ended up spending a week over there in Canberra, in the hospital and then in an apartment.
"There were some dark days, probably for a couple of weeks. I did not really know how to react. But you just have to ride it out. Not make emotional decisions at the time. But you've got to expect that. You have to realise you are going to be feeling better in three weeks' time."
Slade (24) broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg and has had a steel rod inserted in it. He still has two plates in either side of his jaw.
Despite jokes made about him becoming Ironman, Slade said his bones were not weak.
"I've had bone scans done and they showed my bone density was 20% above average. I've always drunk heaps of milk. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. No matter how strong my bones are, they would have not been able to stand the pressure.
"The thing is they are non-preventable injuries. It's not like having a sore hamstring because you have not worked on it hard enough.
"Before I had my first broken jaw last year, I think I had played something like 66 games out of a possible 68 in first-class rugby. I did not break one bone when I was at high school."
He has now had eight operations in under 18 months, and said he was getting used to watching, although he would love to be on the other side of the fence.
Slade is back training and in the gym, working on his upper body. He had X-rays last week that showed his leg was mending well.
"I haven't got a set plan. I'm not going to put myself out there until I'm ready to play. It usually takes about four months to start running but it may take longer or it may be shorter. It is too early to make too many decisions.
"But there is the potential to play at the end of the ITM Cup. But I'm not going to rush it."
Slade was still contracted to Canterbury, but he and new wife Emma are living in Dunedin.
She is carrying out sport programmes at various primary schools, and is a relieving teacher, while Slade is looking to finish his degree in history and media studies at the University of Canterbury.
He is also helping out with the commercial arm of the Highlanders.
But the couple will get away from a southern winter at the end of next month, holidaying in the United States and Mexico on a belated honeymoon.
He will meet up with former Highlander James Paterson, who is back living in the US.
"That is really a starting place for me. When I come back from the holiday, I should know where I am with my injury and really work into getting better."
