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Japan star Kazuki Himeno in line for Highlanders debut as one of three returning players this weekend
Japan’s World Cup star Kazuki Himeno is in line to make his long-awaited Highlanders debut this weekend after being given the all-clear for selection.
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While the team for this weekend’s clash against the Hurricanes won’t be named until Wednesday, Highlanders assistant coach Clarke Dermody confirmed Himeno will be available for selection after a sideline spell following his arrival in New Zealand.
The 26-year-old loose forward, who was a standout for the Brave Blossoms in their historic run to the 2019 World Cup quarter-finals, hasn’t played competitive rugby since last year’s Top League in Japan, where he played for Toyota Verblitz.
With that – and his limited ability to train while undergoing the mandatory two-week quarantine period upon his arrival in New Zealand last month – in mind, the Highlanders waited until a week-and-a-half ago to inject Himeno into action.
That, however, came in the form of a starting role with the franchise’s reserve side, the Bravehearts, against the Crusaders Knights in Pleasant Point on March 13.
After getting through that match without any concern, and having observed a bye week with the rest of the squad, Himeno has been deemed fit to play this Friday.
The 17-test international isn’t the only player set for a return to action at Forsyth Barr Stadium, as highly-promising lock Pari Pari Parkinson, who re-signed with the Highlanders on Tuesday, and prop Ayden Johnstone will also be considered for selection.
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Neither Parkinson (ankle) nor Johnstone (concussion) have played competitively since before last year’s Mitre 10 Cup, but both joined Himeno in the starting lineup for the Bravehearts 10 days ago.
Dermody confirmed Parkinson, who played for about half an hour, and Johnstone, who last for 60 minutes, emerged from that match unscathed after about and will therefore be in contention for this week’s match day side.
“Ayden and Pari both played in the Bravehearts game a couple of weeks ago, the weekend of the Blues [match], so they’re ready to go. They’ve passed what they’ve needed to,” Dermody told media on Monday.
“Kazuki, he played in that game as well. He’s got the quarantine out of his legs, so he’s available as well.”
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The return of Parkinson and Johnstone, both of whom have been earmarked as potential future All Blacks, is significant for a Highlanders side that is still licking its wounds after being bludgeoned by the Blues in their last match before last week’s bye.
Promising Highlanders lock Pari Pari Parkinson will remain with the southern franchise for another season after signing a contract extension. #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/XUe7qRaX1Q
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 22, 2021
Standing at 2.04m and 130kg, Parkinson is one of the biggest players in New Zealand and can provide the Highlanders with plenty of height at the lineout and plenty of power in the collision zone.
Dermody, though, was cautious about dropping the Maori All Blacks second rower in the deep end after eight months out of action with an injury that required a full reconstruction of his ankle.
“It just adds a different element to our forward pack. He’s a big human, so we’ll just be taking it easy with him because of how long he’s had off,” Dermody said.
“It was a full reconstruction, so it was a pretty big surgery and he’s done really well to get back to where he is now.”
Johnstone, the 24-year-old loosehead out of Waikato, is renowned for his scrummaging ability and will further enhance the power up front sought after by the Highlanders.
However, Dermody said Johnstone’s influence off the park has been just as important as his set piece work on the field.
“He’s also grown into a leadership role in the team as well, so not only is his on-field set piece stuff and his rugby game, he’s grown into a bit of a voice around the team as well, so it’s great to have him back involved.”
The injury news isn’t as fortuitous for two of the Highlanders’ key players, though, as loose forward Liam Squire and wing Jona Nareki are both in doubt for the clash against the Hurricanes.
Aaron Smith has lifted the lid on how Jamie Joseph helped inspire him to become one of the greatest halfbacks of all-time in the early stages of his Highlanders career. #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/LegOJTSu64
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 22, 2021
Squire missed the 39-17 defeat to the Blues as the Highlanders looked to manage his workload after a prolonged stint out of the game through hip and knee injuries, and Dermody said it was for that reason the ex-All Black is doubtful for Friday’s match.
“Liam’s still getting managed back from his load stuff around his past injuries,” Dermody said.
“Just the nature of it, it’s week-to-week, so we’ll see how he comes up at the start of each week… He’s a guy that we would love to have involved every week, but it’s just unfortunate it’s not the case.”
Nareki, meanwhile, was stung with a hip pointer injury against the Blues and is continuing to work his way back from that niggle.
“He’s still a bit sore. I’ve never had one, but they tell me it’s pretty sore. There’s not much muscle going on where he got hit, so he’s getting through the week, so we’ll say that,” Dermody said.
Dermody pointed out that if the electric 23-year-old speedster miss out on this week’s match, the Highlanders are well-equipped to deal with his absence through their strong depth throughout the backline.
“There’s heaps of guys back available. Thomas [Umaga-Jensen], Scott Gregory, Freedom’s [Vahaakolo] there as well, so there’s plenty of depth. It’s one of those things where if someone gets an opportunity and takes it, then it’s better for us.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Jake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
9 Go to commentsThe Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
9 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
34 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
34 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
9 Go to commentsOh 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?
34 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?
9 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!
9 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.
13 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!
11 Go to comments