Solomon Alaimalo has rejoined the Chiefs for pre-season after not playing in Super Rugby since February of last year after opening up about his mental health struggles.
The talented 26-year-old outside back switched to the Highlanders for the 2021 campaign but played only once after moving south.
Via social media, he revealed in June of last year that he was struggling “with depression and anxiety for multiple reasons” and took a break from the game.
Alaimalo played in the last two NPC seasons for Southland but didn’t feature for the Highlanders in the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific this year.
He told Stuff in November of last year that mental health struggles had been with him for much of his professional sporting career.
The Chiefs on Thursday named an additional 13 replacement players who will be with their wider squad for pre-season this summer, including Alaimalo.
They are training with the squad to cover for their All Blacks and All Blacks XV players who will join pre-season later after only finishing their respective northern tours a few weeks ago.
Most of those players are expected to return in January, such as Samisoni Taukei’aho, Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Brad Weber, Anton Lienert-Brown and Damian McKenzie.
There is every chance someone like Alaimalo, who played 47 matches for the Chiefs in four seasons between 2017 and 2020, could get another chance in Super Rugby if Clayton McMillan’s side struggle with injuries once their season starts in February.
It would be his first appearance in Super Rugby in two years, although no comeback is certain yet.
The Chiefs have McKenzie, Emoni Narawa, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson, Gideon Wrampling and new signings Ngatungane Punivai and Penaisi Malimali – their contracted outside backs when Super Rugby squads were announced last month.
Alaimalo became a regular for the Chiefs at fullback or on the wing and was tipped for an All Blacks call-up in 2018 because of his excellent form, but injuries in the following seasons stalled his career.
Prop Solomone Tukuafu and lock Hamilton Burr are other selected replacements who have played for the Chiefs before.
Their Waikato team-mate, outside back Liam Coombes-Fabling, has also been added after playing for the Highlanders last season.
The Chiefs also named five youngsters who are on national development contracts who will be with the squad for pre-season.
Chiefs’ replacement players for pre-season: Adam Lennox, Connor Collins, Daniel Rona, Hamilton Burr, Jacob Norris, Jadin Kingi, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Solomon Alaimalo, Solomone Tukuafu, Taine Kolosi, Te Rama Reuben, Wallace Sititi.
