GRAPHIC: Rayasi dislocates finger scoring a try, bravely stays on and scores an even better one
Coming off the bench, he scored a double as the Canes beat the Tahs 41-12.
Injury-plagued Wallabies back Berrick Barnes could make a miraculous recovery from a dislocated thumb to start for the NSW Waratahs in Sunday’s Super Rugby clash with the Blues.
Barnes’ first appearance of the 2013 season was cut short early in the Waratahs’ gut-wrenching 27-26 loss to the Cheetahs on Friday night at Allianz Stadium.
But NSW coach Michael Cheika is surprisingly holding hope the 50-Test inside centre can back up against the dynamic Blues backline after a medical check on Monday.
“(The dislocation) was quite high up in the thumb. It was in a weird place and it took a while to get back in but, once it was in, it was quite favourable,” Cheika told AAP.
“He’s feeling okay and he’ll get it checked again on Monday.
“He’s a chance to play this week so we’ll see what the doctor says.”
Cheika has a tough choice to solve his backline woes if Barnes is sidelined.
With attacking weapons like Israel Folau, Lachie Turner and Peter Betham desperate for opportunities out wide, Barnes’ passing game was seen as a key after he replaced the no-frills Tom Carter.
Cheika could reinstate Carter, team hard-running Wallabies Rob Horne and Adam Ashley-Cooper in the centres, or make utility Ben Volavola a second ball player at No.12 outside Bernard Foley.
Another Wallaby has already been cleared to take on the Blues for the Waratahs with prop Benn Robinson overcoming a bizarre halftime incident.
Robinson returned to the field for the second half but was physically ill before the restart and was replaced with concussion.
But Cheika said it could have been an inner ear problem which made him nauseous.
“It was pretty crazy,” he said. “I thought he must have got king-hit in the tunnel.”
Betham’s energetic display put further heat on axed winger Drew Mitchell but cheika said he’d be available to play the Blues after he watched the Cheetahs match alongside him in the coaching box.
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Coming off the bench, he scored a double as the Canes beat the Tahs 41-12.
Ben Grant looked to have scored but the officials found a knock-on after the initial charge down.
In a lopsided first half, attacking opportunities were few and far between for NSW.
The Hurricanes took the lead inside the opening three minutes setting the tone for a dominant first half.
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