Former All Blacks forward Zinzan Brooke is likely to make a complete recovery after undergoing surgery on a head injury suffered in a fall in Spain last week.
“He had a scan and the results are very positive. There are no signs of any permanent damage,” the Barbarians press officer, Alan Evans, said on Tuesday.
“He has been transferred into a normal ward now, but will have a few more days in the hospital yet while they monitor him.”
Brooke, who was coaching the Barbarians’ tour of Tunisia and Spain, suffered the injury after last Wednesday’s 52-26 win over Spain in Elche.
He fell while getting out of a taxi at his hotel in the early hours of Thursday morning and hit the back of his head on the ground.
Brooke was still having headaches on Sunday prompting hospital staff to operate to relieve the pressure on his brain caused by a clot.
Brooke’s brother and fellow All Black Robin had described his brother’s situation as serious but not life threatening.
The 42-year-old scored 17 tries in 58 Tests for New Zealand and later went on to coach English side Harlequins.
I hope he makes a full recovery – a living legend of the game.