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Wallabies forward Hugh McMenamin is eyeing a permanent move to the blindside flanker role and is convinced his luck has changed after battles with his weight and fitness.
The injury-prone 24-year-old Queenslander missed much of the Super 14 tournament with a broken leg after also being sidelined for large chunks of last year’s competition with knee and ankle problems.
Enjoying a rare run of good health and fortune, McMeniman achieved the rare distinction last weekend of coming off the bench for the Wallabies against France in Brisbane on Saturday night and doing likewise for Australia A against New Zealand Maori in Sydney the following day.
After being injured in round two of this year’s Super tournament and not making it back before the end, McMeniman doubted he would play Test rugby this season.
However, his eye-catching performance for the A team allied to his effort in last weekend’s second Test against France were enough to secure his spot in the squad for Australia’s Tri-series opener against South Africa in Perth on Saturday week.
Even allowing for his prodigious efforts last weekend, McMenamin wasn’t taking anything for granted “especially with the bad luck I have”.
He admitted there had been times over the last couple of years when he wondered whether he could continue to cope with the depressing and regular run of injuries which have stalled his career and stifled his undoubted talent.
“I definitely have thought that, (with) the last two injuries especially, I thought about `is it worth it?'” McMeniman said.
“But that only lasted about a day and then I’m back on the bike and getting my work done and trying to get bigger, fitter and stronger and get back.
“I guess at the end of the day, if you love the sport, you come back and play it until you can’t anymore and you don’t love it.”
McMeniman had an unusual start to his international career in 2005, when he was stood down and spent three months trying to add more strength to his developing frame.
In those early days of his senior career, he had trouble keeping weight on, but has now stabilised at around 113kg.
“Basically, I hit the gym pretty hard and have been eating right and supplement programs and stuff like that,” McMeniman said.
“It really doesn’t take long for me to put weight on when I get back to the gym, although I’ve got a real heightened metabolism, so I strip if off easy also.”
While he originally made his name as a mobile lock, McMeniman has gradually played more time as a blindside flanker and could spend even more minutes there later in the year when Rocky Elsom heads to Irish club Leinster.
“I’d like to move fulltime to six,” McMenamin said.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.