ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Sport
SKUDDER STEP
33-year-old Hurricanes fan Hayden Harvey was in an emotional moment of nostalgia today.
In a reflective trance and eyes locked on his phone, he rewatched YouTube highlights of Nehe Milner-Skudder weaving through defenders like a man possessed.
“Man, you can forget how good he was. Honestly, every time he got the ball it was like he’d at least step four to five defenders.” said Harvey, watching some of Skudder’s early form with the Hurricanes.
Milner-Skudder burst onto the scene in 2015, where his dazzling form helped the Hurricanes reach the grand final of Super Rugby. And then as part of the All Blacks 2015 World Cup side he was named ‘World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year’.
However, injuries would limit his time in a black jersey, despite managing to score 12 tries in 13 tests.
“Skudz was our point of difference at that World Cup. Man, just what could have been if he wasn’t so dogged by injuries. Could have been a 100 test All Black. The body just didn’t let the man cook,” Harvey said, losing count of the amount of ankles Milner- Skudder had broken.
“Look at this one — bang, bang — gone. Man’s a ghost. You can’t coach that sort of footwork.”
“He was like a cheat code on Rugby 08. Goose step, fend, see ya later. Man, never forget that man. There is nothing like Nehe Milner-Skudder”
More to come.
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