ONE COULDN’T BLAME Tyler Bleyendaal if he’s had doubts about continuing as a professional rugby player at some stages in recent years.
Neck surgery is surely a very tough thing to come back from. Bleyendaal has done it twice.
The challenge is likely a mental one as much as it is physical – putting your body on the line again in brutally physical tackles and carries must be truly difficult after having dealt with such serious injury twice before.
Bleyendaal has had two neck injuries before. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Bleyendaal has come back from both operations to play for Munster and the province’s sheer faith in him has always been clear, as evidenced by a new contract earlier this year that extended his deal through until June 2021.
Cruelly, the 29-year-old now finds himself sidelined with a new neck issue, having reported “stiffness” in the wake of last month’s Champions Cup win over the Ospreys, in which he started. Specialist consultation confirmed that Bleyendaal is dealing with a fresh injury.
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It must be a gutting blow for Bleyendaal just when he looked to be picking up momentum again, while it must also be worrying given how serious an area of the body in which he is having recurring issues.
The New Zealander is regarded as the most intelligent rugby brain in Munster’s squad, an intelligent thinker who has a tactical influence in how the province put together their plans to break down opposition teams.
He clearly has a future in coaching and there has even been talk in the past that he will eventually graduate into such a role with Munster, but Bleyendaal will be hopeful this latest issue doesn’t mean accelerating any such plans.
But first and foremost in all of this is his future health, as Munster boss Johann van Graan underlined yesterday as he explained that Bleyendaal is now set for a period of rest in the hope that the issue is resolved.
Van Graan has told Bleyendaal that life after rugby is the most important thing. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
The province are hoping to see Bleyendaal back on the pitch too but won’t be rushing him to recover, given the potential gravity of the situation.
“I would lie if I said it wasn’t a worry,” said van Graan at Munster’s training centre in Limerick yesterday.
“It’s a new injury so it’s not the same as before. He had some stiffness two weeks ago and we kind of let it settle over the weekend and it didn’t, and our medical team investigated further and we sent him for an opinion.
“There’s a fresh injury to his neck, so we’re just going to give him all the time that he needs.
“There’s an expectation that he will return but the two of us have discussed it as well – he needs to be completely right for him to get back onto the pitch.
“Now, there’s a life after rugby as well and for me that’s the most important, what happens after this, and we’re true to that way.
“Look, he’s keen to get straight back in.
“Knowing Tyler, he’s gutted not to be part of this but we’ll do the best for him and give him all the time that he needs.”
Munster fans will be hoping to see Bleyendaal back again, showing the same grit to recover, but the support of van Graan in stating that life after rugby is the most important thing is surely also welcome.
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'I'd lie if I said it wasn't a worry' - Bleyendaal's neck issue a real concern for Munster
ONE COULDN’T BLAME Tyler Bleyendaal if he’s had doubts about continuing as a professional rugby player at some stages in recent years.
Neck surgery is surely a very tough thing to come back from. Bleyendaal has done it twice.
The challenge is likely a mental one as much as it is physical – putting your body on the line again in brutally physical tackles and carries must be truly difficult after having dealt with such serious injury twice before.
Bleyendaal has come back from both operations to play for Munster and the province’s sheer faith in him has always been clear, as evidenced by a new contract earlier this year that extended his deal through until June 2021.
Cruelly, the 29-year-old now finds himself sidelined with a new neck issue, having reported “stiffness” in the wake of last month’s Champions Cup win over the Ospreys, in which he started. Specialist consultation confirmed that Bleyendaal is dealing with a fresh injury.
It must be a gutting blow for Bleyendaal just when he looked to be picking up momentum again, while it must also be worrying given how serious an area of the body in which he is having recurring issues.
The New Zealander is regarded as the most intelligent rugby brain in Munster’s squad, an intelligent thinker who has a tactical influence in how the province put together their plans to break down opposition teams.
He clearly has a future in coaching and there has even been talk in the past that he will eventually graduate into such a role with Munster, but Bleyendaal will be hopeful this latest issue doesn’t mean accelerating any such plans.
But first and foremost in all of this is his future health, as Munster boss Johann van Graan underlined yesterday as he explained that Bleyendaal is now set for a period of rest in the hope that the issue is resolved.
The province are hoping to see Bleyendaal back on the pitch too but won’t be rushing him to recover, given the potential gravity of the situation.
“I would lie if I said it wasn’t a worry,” said van Graan at Munster’s training centre in Limerick yesterday.
“It’s a new injury so it’s not the same as before. He had some stiffness two weeks ago and we kind of let it settle over the weekend and it didn’t, and our medical team investigated further and we sent him for an opinion.
“There’s a fresh injury to his neck, so we’re just going to give him all the time that he needs.
“There’s an expectation that he will return but the two of us have discussed it as well – he needs to be completely right for him to get back onto the pitch.
“Now, there’s a life after rugby as well and for me that’s the most important, what happens after this, and we’re true to that way.
“Look, he’s keen to get straight back in.
“Knowing Tyler, he’s gutted not to be part of this but we’ll do the best for him and give him all the time that he needs.”
Munster fans will be hoping to see Bleyendaal back again, showing the same grit to recover, but the support of van Graan in stating that life after rugby is the most important thing is surely also welcome.
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Injury Munster Neck Injury Neck Issue Tyler Bleyendaal