'He's got to prove he's good enough': Why Nehe Milner-Skudder's Highlanders debut may have to wait until next year
He may have been heralded as one of the biggest signings leading into the Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, but Highlanders outside back Nehe Milner-Skudder may not be available until next season.
That was the verdict given by the franchise’s assistant coach Tony Brown, who revealed on Wednesday the injury-riddled former All Black has returned to full contact training following a lengthy sideline stint.
It has been over a year-and-a-half since the 29-year-old last appeared on the field, with his most recent outing coming for the All Blacks in their 69-31 victory over Japan in November 2018.
A persistent shoulder injury has kept him from playing, though, with a deal with Top 14 side Toulon thwarted by his ongoing rehabilitation.
Unable to link up with the French club, Milner-Skudder subsequently inked a two-year contract with the Highlanders in May.
Hopes have been high in Dunedin that the 13-test star would be able to strut his stuff under the roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium during Super Rugby Aotearoa.
An increased volume of training in recent weeks have been positive signs that the ex-Hurricanes speedster will be able to play, with Highlanders boss Aaron Mauger previously indicating that he could appear at the latter end of the Kiwi domestic league.
That, however, hasn’t happened yet, and Brown provided an update on when fans can expect Milner-Skudder to don the blue and gold jersey.
“Milner-Skudder’s starting to get into some full contact stuff with us, but he’ll still be a couple of weeks away,” Brown said.
Brown, who was assistant coach for Japan when Milner-Skudder last played against the Brave Blossoms two years ago, added that the new signing could feature in the last match of the season against the Hurricanes in Dunedin on August 15.
That would see him pitted against his old franchise, and potentially against his former teammate Julian Savea, who has re-joined the Hurricanes from Toulon as injury cover for the remainder of the campaign.
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The Hurricanes conceded that, like Milner-Skudder, Savea will need to be brought up to speed in terms of fitness, with the Wellington club targeting the Highlanders clash as a possible return date for the 54 test ex-All Black.
Milner-Skudder, meanwhile, will need to come through unscathed at grassroots level before he is considered for Highlanders selection.
“I think Nehe’s got to prove himself that he’s good enough to play at this level, and obviously in the past he has been,” Brown said.
“He’s been out a long time, so he’s going to have to get into a lot of contact, potentially play a bit of club rugby, and if the signs are good, he potentially might make it for that last game.”
He noted a precautionary approach has been taken with Milner-Skudder’s return to action as he re-adjusts to the rigours of professional rugby.
“It would have been great to get Nehe out there three or four weeks ago, but we’ve just got to make sure that he’s a hundred percent confident in his shoulder.
“He’s been through the work, and if he can prove that he is good enough to fit into the side, then we’ll select him.”
Should he fail to prove his fitness in training and at club level, though, Highlanders fans will have to wait until 2021 to see Milner-Skudder turn out for their side.
In the meantime, the southerners will continue to prepare for their do-or-die encounter with the Blues in Dunedin on Sunday.
The outcome of that match will go a long way to determining which sides will still be in the running for the tightly-contested Super Rugby Aotearoa title.
This match was supposed to be dead in the water but the latest reports suggest that's no longer the case. #AllBlacks #Kangarooshttps://t.co/sctIfwdKm7
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 28, 2020
That alone means there will be no shortage of motivation for either team, but Highlanders co-captain Ash Dixon highlighted the significance of the fixture as the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy is set to go on the line.
Hunter coached both franchises prior to his passing in 2002, and Dixon made no secret of the legacy the former All Blacks selector left in Dunedin.
“I think the longer I’ve been in this team, the more it’s impacted me,” Dixon said of the unique rivalry between the Highlanders and Blues.
“Especially when the older guys turn up and come in, from Browny’s [Tony Brown] era, and talk about, not what he was like as a coach, but what he actually did for the team.
“His whole love for the game and the club was awesome, so we use that as a bit of inspiration.
“We obviously didn’t get to meet him or be coached by him, but the way they speak about him, half of them are quite teary and get really emotional about it.
“We’ve had it for eight years now, and that’s by no surprise, there’s been some pretty big efforts against mighty Blues teams, but we’ve had to dig really deep, and there’s no surprises this weekend we’re going to have to [dig deep again].
“But we’re prepared for it, and we’ve just got to go out there and enjoy our rugby and play the rugby we can.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Shame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
2 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
2 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to comments