Prolific Leeds Rhinos winger Maika Sivo has pledged “heaps of improvement” after a two-try comeback guaranteed his place on the flight to Las Vegas.
Saturday’s Betfred Super League clash with Hull KR at Allegiant Stadium will be only Sivo’s second game since suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in a pre-season match 13 months ago. He proved his fitness by grabbing a try in each half on his return last Friday, when Rhinos beat York Knights 46-14.
Rhinos coach Brad Arthur has predicted it will be five-10 weeks before Sivo, who crossed 104 times in 115 NRL appearances for Parramatta Eels, hits his peak and the player himself believes there’s a lot more to come.
“I have heaps of improvement to make,” Sivo – who is in Rhinos’ 21-man squad for this weekend – insisted. “Game fitness is my number one goal and I will get better.”
Sivo confirmed he got through the game against York with “no dramas”. He said: “The main focus for me was finishing the game without any injuries, so I am happy about that.
“I was nervous the whole week, but [Friday] was worse, I have never been that nervous before a game.
“The last year was hard, but I am so happy I have got good people around me who support me. It is my second one [acl] so I knew what was coming.
“I wasn’t nervous about the knee, I was more nervous about my game fitness. It was good to finish the game without any injuries and it was good to score two tries.
“As a winger that’s our job and I did my job. I am not looking too far. I am just going to take one game at a time and go from there.”
Sivo admitted the prospect of playing in Vegas was extra motivation to get back on the field. “That was a focus for me coming into [Friday’s] game, just finish it without injury and get some game fitness,” he added.
“I have been out of the game for a while so I am trying to get used to it again. For me Vegas is just another game, but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to go and play in front of the crowd there and I am looking forward to it.
“I have been out of the game a very long time and it feels good to be back. I really missed playing, especially around the boys and the team we’ve got.”
Serious About Rugby League’s coverage of Hull KR v Leeds Rhinos in Las Vegas is in association with Betfred Super League. Saturday’s showdown is an early highlight of a packed year of club rugby league action which also includes the Challenge Cup final at Wembley on May 30, a blockbuster Magic Weekend at Everton FC’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on July 4-5 and the Super League Grand Final on October 3 at Old Trafford. Experience live Super League. League Hits Different. To guarantee your place, visit Super League | Tickets
