Rugby: Ex-All Black is out with Achilles tear

Brad Mika. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Brad Mika will have surgery to repair his Achilles tendon on Friday, leaving him to contemplate a wretched run of injuries.

He had been scheduled to play another club match this weekend while the Blues had their bye before being primed for Super 15 action against the Waratahs at Eden Park.

Those plans evaporated when the former All Black ruptured his Achilles midway through the first half of Papatoetoe's club match against University on Saturday.

"I went to tap the ball and ran off and then thought there had been a gunshot. I thought one of the boys had kicked me from behind," Mika said yesterday.

He had torn his Achilles tendon as he was nearing the end of his rehabilitation from knee surgery he suffered playing in Japan last year. At that stage he had just signed to play for the Blues after a number of years playing in Europe and Japan.

The 29-year-old had been handpicked to play No 8 this season once Viliami Ma'afu decided to take up an offshore offer.

"I had a few problems with the Achilles in Japan, it got a bit sore a few times and then three weeks ago I had an x-ray and some cortisone and it settled down," Mika said.

"But that's it now for the year, I get an operation on Friday."

Mika said it had been most disappointing all his extra fitness sessions outside training with the Blues had been extinguished in one accident.

"It's quite frustrating. I guess it's no use dwelling on what you can't control, it's best to focus on what I can and start setting new goals."

There are mixed reports from Dr Stephen Kara about others on the Blues' injured roster.

Loosehead prop Tony Woodcock hurt his calf in Saturday evening's 29-22 win against the Cheetahs and may not be ready for the next outing against the Waratahs though fellow All Black Jerome Kaino is expected to be fit.

Locks Ali Williams and Filo Paulo may be kept back until the match against the Rebels in Albany on April 22, while looseforward Daniel Braid's return depends on how his neck injury settles.

"He has turned the corner, he is responding now and we just have to keep monitoring him," Dr Kara said.

"But this rest will help all of them."