Friday afternoon’s Sunwolves-Brumbies clash will mark the end of a long wait for Ben Hyne.
The Sunwolves lock has been named on the bench for the Wollongong match, in what will be his first Super Rugby match since 2017.
ACL injuries in consecutive seasons while he was with the Brumbies meant he played just five Super Rugby matches in four seasons in Canberra and admits to not even really remembering his last outing.
A knee injury in the 2017 NRC ultimately ended his 2018 Super Rugby season before it began but, after the Brumbies re-signed him for 2019, he showed glimpses of his potential in a strong NRC campaign that year.
Just before Christmas of 2018, though, he suffered a second knee injury all but ending his hopes of a Super Rugby return and beginning what has become a 14-month recovery.
Rather than wallow in disappointment, Hyne threw himself into rugby-related activities, helping coach the ACT’s schools team and pitching in regular;y with Brumbies game reviews.
“They’re the sort of thoughts you’ve got to try and keep out of your head try and see the positives in the situation and I managed to get into coaching the ACT schoolboys, we had a bit of success in Sydney, and helped out with my local club in Canberra,” he said.
"I kept myself busy in the game, participated in all the Brumbies reviews and went to every home game so I felt part of the team."
His practical mindset continued even after the Brumbies were unable to offer him a contract for 2020, leaving his rugby future in limbo.
With his time in Canberra over, Hyne moved back to his home state Queensland and prepared to work his way back into first grade rugby.
He was “at peace” with returning to Queensland Premier Rugby with local club Brothers and hoping to string some games together and push for higher honours.
“I always backed myself I just knew I needed to get back on the field and get an opportunity to play the game.
“I’d made peace with the thought of playing club rugby for the season and just trying to get back on the field consistently.”
Then, in the middle of a holiday in Bali, his phone buzzed.
“I was actually having a bit of a break away from it all, a break over in Bali and I had just come back from a day at the beach when I got a message from Webby (Sunwolves general manager Chris Webb) that there could be an opportunity at the Sunwolves and to get in touch,” he said.
“I did that , I called him and let him know and then things worked out from there.”
Hyne was still recovering from his second knee injury when he arrived in Japan but his rehabilitation road is finally set to end on Friday against the Brumbies.
It’s fitting that Hyne’s comeback is set to come against the Brumbies, a team that supported him through much of his injury trouble and that still has many of his good friends in its numbers.
I"’ve had 14 months out of playing rugby during that period i surrounded myself with rugby, watching vision, doing skill work, lots of rugby training," he said.
"I'm glad to have ticked the final box and be coming up against the Brumbies where I spent the past four years.
"Coming back from what I've been through, it's just an added bonus to go up against my old teammates."
Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa said on Thursday he was thrilled to see his friend return to the field.
“Hyney is a quality team man and for us to lose him was sad,” he said.
"He was someone that had a bad run of injuries but he would do everything for the team where he could.
"He was running lineouts for us last year and he'd always be out there supporting us around the gym and our training sessions and obviously he was there at every home game.
"But the Sunwolves have gained a quality person on and off the field and what a story it is for him to make his comeback against us.
"I'm just looking forward to hopefully being out there at the same time he is.”
Whlie many of his former teammates and friends will be on the other side on Friday afternoon, Hyne knows the Brumbies won’t be making anything easy for him on his return.
“I’m as ready as I can be to get back into super rugby, very excited,” he said.
“I think it’ll take a couple of games to get into the swing of things but I’m very excited.
“I certainly know that in the Brumbies environment, Dan McKellar always stressed not to underestimate the Sunwolves so I know that’ll be the message he’ll be giving them this week.”
The Waratahs take on the Chiefs on Friday March 6 at WIN Stadium Wollongong, kicking off at 7:15pm AEDT, LIVE on Foxtel, Kayo Sports and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. The Brumbies take on the Sunwovles at the same ground earlier in the day, kicking off at 2:45pm AEDT, LIVE on Foxtel, Kayo Sports and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. Buy tickets here.
