Alaimalo ‘in a great place’

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 in two seasons 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 throughout his professional sporting career.

Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan said Alaimalo was in a ‘‘great place’’ and confirmed he had other offers.

However, Hamilton was his preferred destination after spending four seasons with the Chiefs, living in the city, while playing 47 matches between 2017 and 2020.

‘‘He’s had some [injury] niggles to overcome, which is understandable given his absence from rugby for a long time,’’ McMillan said.

‘‘He’s comfortable to be back in this environment, happy to be back in Hamilton around some familiar people, and we’re putting no real expectation on him.

‘‘We want him to come here as a replacement player, take his time,

and we will make some assessment down the line.’’

The Chiefs yesterday named an additional 13 replacement players who will be with their wider squad

for pre-season which started last

Friday, including Alaimalo.

They are training with the squad to cover for their All Blacks and All Blacks XV players who will join later after only finishing their respective northern tours a few weeks ago.

That includes All Blacks such as Samisoni Taukei’aho, Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Brad Weber, Anton Lienert-Brown and Damian McKenzie. McMillan said their All Blacks were due back on January 24. The All Blacks XV players return on January 9.

Discarded All Blacks loose forward Pita Gus Sowakula, who played two tests against Ireland in July, has started pre-season with the rest of the Chiefs’ squad who weren’t with either touring team.

There is every chance someone

like Alaimalo could get another chance in Super Rugby if McMillan’s side struggles with injuries once their season starts in February. All Blacks are also expected to be rested throughout the season ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in France, opening the door for more replacement players to get an opportunity.

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. His last appearance for the Chiefs was in Super Rugby Aotearoa in 2020 when he dislocated his left shoulder while scoring with an acrobatic finish against the Blues at Eden Park.