Curtis Browning still hopeful of playing for University in grand final despite health scare

UNIVERSITY trump Curtis Browning still holds hope of playing in the Premier Rugby grand final despite a week-long ordeal to beat a Staph infection.

CMSPORTS_Queensland Reds players Chris Feauai-Sautia and Curtis Browning during training this afternoon Monday April 7, 2014. Pictures: Jack Tran

UNIVERSITY trump Curtis Browning still holds hope of playing in Sunday’s Premier Rugby grand final despite a week-long ordeal to beat a debilitating Staph infection stirred by an ant bite.

The University flanker was only discharged on Monday after eight nights in St Andrew's Hospital where doctors cleared the bacterial infection with antibiotics and a vacuum pump inserted in his leg.

Browning won’t train this week in the lead-up to the decider at Ballymore but is counting on a Saturday all-clear by medicos to play against Sunnybank.

“It was a bit of an ordeal I’m glad to have behind me. My doctor and I can only imagine I was bitten on the leg by an ant that broke the skin and enabled the Staph infection to get started,” Browning said.

“I played against Sunnybank in the major semi (on August 3), felt a real swelling in my left leg, was crook after the game and in a hospital bed that night. It all happened very quickly.

“Grand finals don’t come around too often so I’m very keen to top off the season with the Uni boys in a big way. I’m hoping for the all-clear.”

Sunnybank have their own issues with key Reds centre Ben Tapuai (ankle) ruled out despite finishing the preliminary final which produced a confidence-lifting 33-24 win over GPS last Sunday.

Sunnybank coach Rod Seib said the decision had been made to start 15-Test Wallaby Liam Gill in the grand final after his whirlwind 40 minutes demolished GPS.

“Sunnybank will get plenty of confidence from that second half (28-0) against GPS. They outmuscled GPS so we expect they’ll be coming at us too with their big running forwards,” Uni coach Mick Heenan said.

Originally published as Curtis Browning still hopeful of playing for University in grand final despite health scare