Rugby: Allardice may miss NPC after knee op

Michael Allardice may miss the Magpies' campaign this year. PHOTO/FILE

Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby lock Michael Allardice is likely to miss the Mitre 10 Cup season.

Allardice, 24, suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee in the Chiefs' 40-7 victory over Wales in Hamilton last week and had an operation to repair it on Thursday. The expected period of recovery is three to four months.

This is the second consecutive year Allardice has had his Super season cut short. Last year he suffered a ruptured medial ligament in his left knee during the May 16 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington.

His absence will be a major blow to the Magpies. Allardice has played 36 first class games for them, the same number as his regular locking partner Mark Abbott, and seven Super Rugby fixtures for the Chiefs.

Abbott's Hurricanes teammate Geoff Cridge, who missed all of the Magpies 2015 season through injury, along with Sanaila Waqa and Trent Boswell-Wakefield, are all contenders to be Abbott's regular partner this year.

Magpies assistant coach Danny Lee said the team's physio Mark Nicol has been in contact with the Chiefs medical staff and learned the surgery option taken was the best for the longevity of Allardice's career.

"The injury is tough on Michael because he has been playing some good rugby. He is in our senior players bracket and the last thing he wants to do is miss the Mitre 10 Cup. However you never know, his recovery could go well once he works alongside Mark and our trainer [Luke Stephenson] and we could see him in action towards the end of the season."

"There will be opportunities for regular starts for the likes of Geoff, Junior [Waqa] and Trent. They've all been involved with our team and know our systems," Lee said.

Meanwhile Allardice's Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports clubmate and former Magpies halfback Michael Ruru won the player of the tournament award after helping his Western Force team win the World Club 10s in Mauritius last weekend. The Western Force side, which was made up mainly of premier club players, beat a Brumbies team dominated by Super players 7-0 in the final.

Ruru, 24, converted the lone second-half try by winger Brad Lacey. Ruru has been Perth-based since playing for the Magpies in 2012.

He hoped the award will enhance his chances of securing a professional contract.

"I'd love to take the next step to play rugby professionally for a living and give back to the community, but if it comes it comes, if it doesn't it doesn't," he said.

Ruru's younger brother Jonathan, who played one game for the Magpies last year, is playing club rugby in Dunedin with the aim of making the Otago Mitre 10 Cup team.