All Blacks - Minor stroke puts Weepu out for a month   28 Mar 2014

A minor stroke suffered recently by former All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu means he will be out of action for the Blues for at least a month.

Weepu had been complaining of migraine-like symptoms since March 1 and expert diagnosis this week showed he had suffered a minor stroke.

The condition is non-rugby related which could have gone undetected had he not been in an environment were monitoring was regular.

It appeared the stroke happened before the Blues toured South Africa in early-March and it became clear that it could be something else when he complained of not being able to speak in the way he wanted, Blues doctor Stephen Kara said on Thursday.

He had sounded like he was drunk and the episode lasted about 90 minutes.

"Piri presented with transient symptoms that could have been from a migraine before he travelled and was cleared by specialists to travel, as long as he was monitored. He had no other symptoms to raise further concern while we were away.

Weepu had mentioned that he was having difficulty articulating and had to think about the words he wanted to use when they were in South Africa.

"No-one else was aware of this and if you talked with team-mates and management they wouldn't have had a clue at all.

"We took the precaution of getting an MRI scan for him this week and we are thankful we are getting to the bottom of this issue," Kara said.

Weepu was admitted to hospital on Wednesday and more tests were done and had confirmed the stroke had affected the left side of his brain which was associated with his speech.

"He is now extremely well, and extremely normal Piri. He's very happy and jovial and properly tweeting away as we speak," Kara said.

He added that Weepu was expected to make a full recovery. What caused the stroke was still being investigated but tumours or an aneurysm had been ruled out. And he was cleared of any possible problems stemming from tackles or blows in or around the heart area.

Kara said the suspicion was that he may have had a clot from the heart which had 'parked itself' in Weepu's brain. That was the subject of another scan on Thursday.

Should it prove negative Weepu would be on some long-term medication for blood thinning and the potency of them would still allow him to play rugby.

If he was found to have a minor hole in his heart, a condition affecting 40 percent of the population without them knowing, then minor surgery to correct that would follow.

"His long-term playing future looks pretty good but in the short term he would have to take a brief stint on the sideline," Kara said.

Blues coach Sir John Kirwan said the team were all shocked and when they heard from Weepu about what had happened they were devastated.

Source Sportal

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