Anesi closes in on Mitchell's try-scoring record

1.00pm

Waikato coach John Mitchell will have mixed feelings if Sosene Anesi continues his try-scoring run.

Sharpened by a season on the International Rugby Board (IRB) world sevens rugby circuit for New Zealand, the Waikato right wing has shown his long haul back from two knee reconstructions is complete and he is leading the NPC first division try-scoring stakes.

His two tries against North Harbour last Sunday took his 2004 NPC tally to eight -- just three shy of Mitchell's Waikato record of 11.

That was the fourth match in a row where Anesi had touched down. The sequence includes a hat-trick against Otago at Carisbrook.

Add the try he scored in the team's only official pre-season match against Northland and he has nine for the year to add to the many he scored in sevens and at fullback for Hamilton Marist.

And so far he has managed to stay clear of the injury plague sweeping the squad this year -- one of only two backs, the other being David Hill, to have started every match including pre-season.

It was not always the case for Anesi. As a teenager he represented his native Samoa at sevens in 1999 and 2000, the latter while at St John's College in Hamilton.

But his career was stopped by successive knee injuries, which saw the anterior cruciate ligaments blown out in each knee at different times.

"That was like four or five years ago and now I'm back to where I was before. It's been a long haul but I've been working really hard," Anesi said.

It meant a two-year break from rugby and a lot of work in the gym but he finally made his NPC debut last year as a 22-year-old, and he reckons the time on the sevens circuit through the summer with Waikato teammate Liam Messam was the perfect polisher of his speed and fitness.

"It brought on my fitness, which I had been working on a lot. I've been trying to get my speed back for 15s to move quickly on my feet and improve my defence as well, and it's all given me a lot of confidence."

Anesi scored in each of Waikato's first two games this year, including the NPC opener against Southland, but when that little run dried up over the next three outings and Fijian left wing Sitiveni Sivivatu picked up one against Bay of Plenty and five against Auckland, it looked like things weren't going to go his way.

But now he has headed Sivivatu by one in the race to be Waikato's top NPC try-scorer this season.

"I've been getting more opportunities now and I've been trying to take them, to nail every opportunity I get through hard work."

He's loving those attacking chances, and work Mitchell insisted at the start of the season he do to improve his catching of the high ball has also provided dividends.

After last Sunday's sunny afternoon encounter against North Harbour, Anesi is hoping for more dry conditions and more ball to attack with out wide on Saturday against Taranaki at New Plymouth.

If the form continues he hopes he can put his hand up for a Super 12 contract, but right now he wants to finish the NPC in style for Waikato.

"If I get a Super 12 opportunity I will take it but otherwise there's sevens again and the World Cup next year."

On the injury front halfback Rhys Duggan (ankle), centre Richard Kahui (ankle) and fullback/halfback Isaac Boss (ankle/knee) were all spectators at Waikato training yesterday and remain in doubt for Saturday, although Boss expressed some optimism about recovering in time.

Prop Deacon Manu was able to take part in a light training session indoors at Fraser High gymnasium yesterday despite a shoulder injury, as was fullback Todd Miller (knee), who is running out of time to make his farewell appearance for Waikato before retiring.

- NZPA

* See Super Sport in the Herald on Friday for an in-depth profile of Sosene Anesi

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