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Ben Smith ruled out for remainder of Super Rugby regular season
The Highlanders’ quest for a place in the ultra-competitive Super Rugby play-offs has just gotten that much harder.
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The Dunedin-based franchise will have to chase a quarter-final berth without star fullback and co-captain Ben Smith, who has been ruled out for between six to eight weeks with a hamstring strain.
The 32-year-old suffered the injury during his side’s 31-all draw with the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday after falling awkwardly in a strong tackle by Chiefs loose forward Luke Jacobson.
As the most capped Highlander of all-time with more than 150 club appearances to his name, Smith’s absence will be a significant blow to the seventh-placed side, especially with a daunting two-week trip to South Africa following this week’s clash with the Jaguares at home.
With Smith set to link up with French Top 14 club Pau next year, he may have played his last game for the Highlanders, but could still feature for the side should they solidify their spot in the competition’s top eight for the post-season.
Head coach Aaron Mauger tried to ease concerns that Smith would be out of action for a lengthy period immediately after Saturday’s stalemate, but assistant coach Glenn Delaney confirmed the injury news to RugbyPass in Dunedin on Tuesday.
“He’s had a high hamstring strain, so he’s going to be out for six to eight weeks,” he said.
“[It’s been] a normal sort of process with those things, just a classic rugby incident where he just got caught in a tackle and overextended it.
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“All the right things have been done, as you would expect, and he’ll be back as quick as he can be with the right rehab.”
While in obvious discomfort as he was assisted from the field, Smith also sported a nasty-looking laceration on his chin, with observers questioning whether a concussion was also evident due to Smith’s history with the injury.
Delaney, however, put those qualms to rest.
“That’s nothing, that’s just superficial, if anything. It’s just a hamstring injury,” he said.
Smith isn’t the first high-profile All Black to have been hampered by injury within the Highlanders squad this year.
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Halfback Aaron Smith was initially ruled out for between six to eight weeks after spraining his ankle during his side’s 33-26 defeat to the Blues in Auckland two months ago, but returned to action earlier than expected, while co-captain Luke Whitelock has had issues with his calf.
Loose forward Liam Squire hasn’t featured yet this year after picking up a hip and then a knee injury, and wing Waisake Naholo hasn’t played since that defeat to the Blues due to an MCL injury, but both players are back in full training and are available for selection this weekend.
Delaney said the absence of the Highlanders’ star players at various points throughout their campaign has made them no strangers to adversity, with Smith’s injury-enforced departure creating an opportunity for someone else to fill his role at fullback.
“We’ve had guys dropping out throughout the year. I think we lost Aaron Smith for a bit, we’ve had Liam out for a bit, and Waisake’s been out for a bit.
“It’s one thing with rugby, the players will get injured, so we can’t do anything about it, but what we’ll do is we’ll support them and make sure the rehab’s right and that he’s [Smith] back and right and firing on all cylinders as soon as he can.
“It’s going to be an opportunity for someone else to play there, and we just have to get on with that.
“We’ll miss him, for sure. He’s great to have around, great leader on the field, and we’re very luck that him and Luke [Whitelock] have been co-captaining, so we don’t lose all our leadership at all.”
Matt Faddes and Josh McKay loom as the most likely candidates to fill Smith’s boots in the No. 15 jersey in the coming weeks, although the latter was used as first-five cover on the bench last weekend as the Highlanders await the return of veteran playmaker Marty Banks from a broken foot.
The Highlanders will announce their side to take on the Jaguares this weekend on Thursday.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments