Squire comes back from the brink [Nelson Mail]
Just over two weeks ago, Liam Squire was suddenly struck by the dreadful notion that his rugby season might already be over.
He'd only just returned from an excruciating 11-month layoff after breaking his ankle while playing for Marist in last season's Tasman Trophy club rugby final against Nelson.
Now with new club Nelson and with less than five minutes remaining in their Tasman Trophy clash against Waitohi in Picton, a disbelieving Squire was again cursing his awful luck after suffering severe ligament damage to a dislocated left thumb.
In attempting to fend off a Waitohi defender, the dynamic 22-year-old loose forward felt his thumb pop out and all the negative thoughts suddenly came flooding back.
"I honestly throught that was me done," said Squire with regard to a season that's barely even got off the ground.
"When I did my ankle, I went through a lot of shit with that...it took 11 months to come right. And when I saw my thumb pop out, I thought ‘I'm in the same situation again'. I was very down about it."
Among the Tasman Makos' 22 currently contracted players for this season's ITM Cup campaign, Squire credits a phone call from Tasman coach Kieran Keane for reigniting the spark.
"I got a call from KK and he just said to me, ‘you've had a bit of bad luck but we're here to support you'. He's been really good.
"He probably doesn't realise it, but his phone call was probably the thing that got me back up again and going to the gym and still training."
Squire has been plagued by serious injuries throughout his all too brief career. Originally from Manawatu, Squire suffered a fractured spine in 2010 while playing for Old Boys Marist in the Manawatu senior club competition. It happened while attempting a head-on tackle and there were serious doubts whether he would ever play again.
"I was out for eight months and had to get a screw put in during the offseason," he said.
Ultimately, it was his own decision to strap his boots back on.
So he's already suffered more than his fair share of misfortune and heartache, his current injury made worse by the fact that he's returned this season fitter than ever before.
"I've been training with [personal trainer] Glenn Stewart since the start of January and the results are just crazy. Apart from my thumb, I'm in the best shape I've ever been in. Now I just want to put it out there on the field."
Adding to Squire's renewed determination is the notion that he now feels he owes a debt to the Tasman union for sticking by him.
"I'm more keen just to make it up to Tasman for putting them through a bit of strife. It's [been] hard on them as well as me.
"I came back [to training] in January to make up for the training that I missed. It's probably the hardest I've trained in my career.
"I know my body's in the best shape it can be, except for my thumb, at the moment."
He's hoping to get the cast off "in a couple of weeks" with a view to playing the last few rounds of the Nelson Bays club championship.
He said it's been "awesome" to play alongside his new Nelson team mate Shane Christie, however briefly, probably as a pointer to them renewing their association at ITM Cup level.
Now he can't wait to get back into action after feeling back to full fitness in his 75 or so minutes against Waitohi.
"I was thinking 60 minutes, but I got through that and was feeling absolutely fine. I wasn't buggered or anything, I couldn't feel my ankle at all and thinking I was finally going to get through an 80 minute game.
"I knew it was too good to be true."
But he's not about to force the issue and will only return to the field when he feels his thumb is properly mended.
"There's no point rushing it, it's not worth it after the amount of injuries I've had."
And the typically robust loosie insists he won't be gun-shy.
"Once I'm on the field, I don't even think about the injuries I've had.
"I hope this is the last [injury], I'm definitely looking forward to the ITM Cup, that's for sure."
