Salawa getting better after 11 months out

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BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 19: Kitione Salawa of the Fijian Drua in action during the round four Super Rugby Pacific match between Queensland Reds and Fijian Drua at Suncorp Stadium, on March 19, 2023, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

KITIONE Salawa is quickly returning to his fine form after recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for 11 months.

Salawa returned to competitive rugby last month during round five of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific where the Drua hosted the Waratahs in Lautoka.

He has since been in the starting line-up after that is set to run out in his usual number seven jersey against Moana Pasifika this weekend.

“I think he is getting better; I think he is enjoying being out there and I think he is just starting to become his physical self again,” head coach Mick Byrne said.

The hard-hitting flanker who has owned this position since the Drua’s inaugural season in Super Rugby Pacific suffered a shoulder injury against the Chiefs last year.

He went through a tough seven months of rehab overcoming a series of physical and psychological impacts of his injury.

“He had a couple of nasty injuries over the last couple of years and it takes you a couple of games to get a few hits and get confidence back in your injuries that you have recovered. He has done that and I’m really liking the way he is approaching training as well. I think he will improve in every game now leading into the end of the year,” Byrne said.

Salawa was not part of the team that lost to Moana Pasifika 36-39 in round two of the competition at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

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