Weepu worked out alongside his teammates yesterday, several of whom are fit again after injury and will be available to play the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday.
Keven Mealamu, Patrick Tuipulotu, Peter Saili, Tom Donnelly, Jamison Gibson-Park and Jackson Willison will get the green light providing they come through next couple of days without further problems. Loose forward Kane Barrett, recovering from concussion, is believed to be still a week away.
None of those players have shown the resilience that halfback Weepu has, though. His stroke, which the club's medical staff believe he suffered at the start of last month, wasn't diagnosed until after he played three matches - two in South Africa and one at Eden Park. He was then diagnosed with a hole in his heart for which he had surgery just over a week ago, and now is preparing to play again, a state of affairs which has Kirwan shaking his head.
"It is an unbelievable recovery," Kirwan, who admitted to being surprised at the speed of the comeback, said. "It gives the players a lift but it gives him a lift as well."
Kirwan added of the 30-year-old former All Black: "He's been absolutely fantastic and a joy to have in the team. He contributes as much off the field as he does on it. We have missed his experience at times but he has been working hard with Bryn [Hall] and now Jamison."
Weepu's neurologist and cardiologist made the decision to allow Weepu to train with a view to playing a week on Friday. A Blues statement yesterday said he had made a full recovery.
The news is said to be not as good for first-five Baden Kerr, who is set to miss the season without playing a match. After cracking a thumb in a pre-season hit-out he broke a couple of fingers in a club game. The Counties-Manukau player, a standout in the province's Ranfurly Shield exploits last year, has had an operation and is understood to be facing a long lay-off.
Kirwan, who has Simon Hickey and Chris Noakes as his first-five options, with Benji Marshall as a back-up, has big decisions to make this week as to his inside-back combination to face the Hurricanes, a team running into some form, but, like the Blues, cursed by a frustrating inconsistency.
Hickey was targeted by the Brumbies in the 26-9 defeat in Canberra which turned into a painful learning experience for the 20-year-old. The Blues' bye has given him time to think things through but Kirwan could go for the more experienced Noakes to lead the team around the Cake Tin.
Kirwan acknowledged the importance of the match against the Hurricanes, who are also coming off a bye and will be preparing for their first match since being told coach Mark Hammett will be leaving at the end of the year.
"We know what we're going to get - they will throw everything at us," Kirwan said. "It's a big challenge for both franchises. Everyone is still in the race. People say they are inconsistent but you can probably describe us as that too. We are two very similar teams at the moment."
- Patrick McKendry of APNZ
