From broken leg to starting halfback

Will Johnston

Anything can happen in 12 months, just ask Yarrows Taranaki Bulls halfback Warwick Lahmert.

He went from suffering a spiral fracture through his tibia and fibula during a training session in August last year,  to becoming the starting halfback during this season’s Mitre 10 Cup campaign.

The break required surgery and was a freak accident after the 33-year-old carried the ball from the back of a ruck. He ran between two players and when tackled one landed on the side of his leg.

“I heard a loud crack. They chucked a rod in through the top of my tib and chucked a few screws in there to hold it together,” he said. 

The former New Zealand and England sevens representative was told his recovery would take between six months to a year, but his determination proved it would be quicker than that.

“I snapped it in August and had a run around, probably shouldn’t have, in club sevens in February this year. Then I got the rod out of my leg in March this year.

“To be honest, I always thought I would come back from it. It was a mindset thing I think,” the 16-capped Taranaki rep said.

He was enjoying playing for premier titleholder  Spotswood United in the club competition title thinking it would be one of his last seasons.

He never gave playing for Taranaki a thought until coach Willie Rickards tapped him on the shoulder.

“I was fortunate enough, and very grateful, that Willie asked if I would come along to pre-season to have a crack.”

Lahmert was one of three halfbacks selected in the squad, along with Chiefs rep Lisati Milo-Harris and Kylem O’Donnell. But he didn’t expect to be the starting halfback.

“I was just grateful for being in the squad. I had two other really good nines, we just pushed each other at trainings and helped each other out a lot.”

He said it was more about who the team was facing and who fitted in better – either starting or bringing impact off the bench.

“End of the day, whoever the nine was, we were always going to give it everything.”

After bailing out of the semi-finals of the championship division, Lahmert said Taranaki’s culture off the field was ‘awesome’.

“I owe a lot to this group. The best thing about rugby is the people you meet.”

After earning decent minutes for the Bulls, it’s made him want to give it another year but hasn’t committed yet.

“I haven’t said yes or not, but I’ll weigh up my options at the start of next year. I’m only a few games off my blazer. That would be awesome to get.”

Photo: LDV Photography