New Zealand rugby
Mealamu takes blame for injury woes
ESPN Staff
July 3, 2012
Keven Mealamu throws into the line-out at All Blacks training ahead of the three-Test series against Ireland. Trusts Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand, June 5, 2012
Keven Mealamu has struggled for fitness since last year's World Cup © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Keven Mealamu
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Teams: Blues | New Zealand

All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu believes his desire to return prematurely from a calf injury forced him to take an extended break from the game.

Mealamu has missed the majority of the year through injury, but made his international return in the second half of New Zealand's third Test against Ireland recently. The World Cup winning hooker, though, insists his prolonged absence was his own doing.

"I can't put it into words. It's been really tough, it's just nice to be about to get out there and not think about the injury.

"It probably would have been a two or three week injury but I kept on rushing it back, I was just eager to get back. I pushed it too hard and would re-injure it. I re-injured it twice.

"It was probably silly on my behalf trying to race it back but because of the situation we were in I just wanted to get back as quick as possible," he said.

His club side, the Blues, take on the Western Force this Saturday night. Mealamu says he is looking forward to making his long-awaited Super Rugby return, despite the Blues being out of contention for the finals.

"I'm looking forward to getting back out in the Blues colours and try to finish the season well. We really want to finish strongly and then we've got another tough challenge playing the Brumbies over in Canberra so we just want to finish as well as we can," he said.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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