Highlanders Rugby: Long Injury List Problematic with Season Looming

The Highlanders depth will be tested over the first few weeks of the Super 15, as a long injury list leaves their team depleted of many front-line players.

For the best part of the last decade, the Highlanders have been the lowest finishing New Zealand team in Super Rugby. But resurgence in 2011, followed by some top signings over the summer has seen many predict that the Highlanders will re-emerge as contenders once again in 2012.

However, as has become the case towards the end of 2011, injuries look to be dictating the franchise's destiny. The team will enter the season without many of its top players, as was reported by the Otago Daily Times.

The midfield looks to be the main problem area, with Shaun Treeby and Kendrick Lynn both unavailable with knee and neck injuries respectively—while Tamati Ellison will not return to New Zealand from Japan for another two weeks.

While Ellison will be back for the start of the competition, Treeby's return is at this stage unknown—with Lynn's expected to be two months away. This leaves the question: Who will pair with Ellison with only three specialist midfielders having been selected in the squad?

Utility back Ben Smith is an option. He dabbled at centre during the 2011 season, but would be of much better value to the team at fullback. However, they may not have much of a choice since a good back three will be wasted without someone that knows what they're doing in the No. 12 and 13 jerseys.

The other option would be Otago first five-eighth, Glenn Dickson, who is a member of the wider training squad. However, Dickson has no experience at this level. Plus, it would be asking a lot for him to go into the starting team in a position that is very much a secondary position for him.

Outside backs Kade Poki and Siale Piutau remain sidelined for lengthy periods—both of whom will be missed. Poki was one of the most electrifying players in last year's competition. But a recurring knee injury has made his involvement in the 2012 competition questionable, while Piutau showed a good all-round game in his first season and looked like a real prospect.

Unlike previous years, they do have good depth in this area in 2012. While these two will be big losses, they will still be able to cover the back three positions with Hosea Gear, Kurt Baker and Ben Smith likely to claim starting roles—with the improving Telusa Veainu being an option too. This of course, depends upon whether Ben Smith is forced into the midfield.

The stocks at lock are very low too, with both Jarrad Hoeata and Josh Bekhuis likely to be sidelined for lengthy periods. These are huge losses, with both having been touted as potential All Blacks for this year.

Bekhuis will be missed for his lineout jumping and his high-work rate, whilst without Hoeata they will lack the physical edge that made them so tough last year. In many ways Hoeata is just as crucial to this Highlanders team as Jerome Kaino is to the Blues and All Blacks—showing just the magnitude of this loss.

To add to these problems, there isn't much cover. New signing Callum Retallick will claim one starting role, but with no other specialist locks in the immediate squad. They will most likely look to Hoani MacDonald and Daniel Ramsay to cover from the wider training squad.

MacDonald was a Highlander for five years from 2004-2008. He will be the favoured of the two, although Ramsay is a good young prospect who played well for Otago last year. This may be a good chance to give him a taster of the next level.

The other option would be to use a loose forward here; with Nick Crosswell being the most likely should this approach be taken. The loose forwards feature some good lineout jumpers, so putting a loose forward into lock wouldn't hinder the lineout as much as it may have otherwise done—with Adam Thomson in particular, as good in the lineout as most locks.

Whoever they choose won't be able to replace what Hoeata and Bekhuis bring to the team, and will lack the physical dominance they enjoyed for large parts of last year.

To add to these woes Colin Slade remains on the list with a hernia, but is expected to return for the first game of the season—while Captain Jamie Mackintosh carries a pelvis injury that could prove to be lengthy. These losses won't be as big as in the other positions because there is cover available—but will be felt nonetheless.

To head into the competition with an injury list as long as this makes for a tough season ahead. If 2011 showed anything, it was the toll such a long and physical season took on the players—with most teams struggling with injuries by the midway point of the competition. To have this problem at the start of the season is only going to make for a more problematic situation later on.

In their years at the bottom, the Highlanders were always one of the most unlucky teams with injuries—with many star players unable to take the field during that time. The year 2012 is meant to be the year where they finally make it back to the playoffs.

If they can field their top team, it would be hard to argue with this claim. But whether or not they fulfill their potential may depend on how long the injury curse lingers.