No Ben Smith for Highlanders in vital clash against Waratahs
The Highlanders have been dealt a massive blow in the lead-up to their must-win match against the Waratahs in Invercargill on Friday, as talismanic co-captain and fullback Ben Smith has been ruled out of the contest due to his ongoing hamstring injury.
Smith strained his hamstring last month during his side’s 31-all draw with the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, and was expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks, ruling him out of the remainder of the Super Rugby regular season.
However, promising progress in his recovery gave the Highlanders coaching staff hope that the departing All Black would return in time for this week’s clash at Rugby Park, but he remains absent from the match day squad announced on Wednesday as his team prepares for their season-defining contest.
Instead, youngster Josh McKay will maintain his place in the No. 15 jersey after a standout showing in his first starting appearance in his preferred playing position against the Bulls last week.
The 21-year-old bagged a brace of tries en route to his side’s 24-all draw with the South African visitors, with his top-end speed on display in both of his scoring efforts.
Should the Highlanders fail to come away from Invercargill with a bonus point win and other results go against them, thus resulting in them missing out on a quarter-finals berth, then Smith will have appeared in his last match for the club of which he has played 152 times for since his Super Rugby debut in 2009.
The 33-year-old outside back has signed with Top 14 club Pau for next season, and is expected to relocate to France following thus year’s World Cup in Japan.
It would be a sad way to go out for the Highlanders’ most-capped player of all-time, who co-captained them to their maiden Super Rugby title in 2015.
“Ben worked extremely hard to be available for his team this week, unfortunately he is still a little short of being match ready,” Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger said.
Aside from the absence of Smith, the Highlanders have named an almost full-strength side for this week’s fixture.
Just one change has been made to the starting XV, with second-five Tei Walden taking the place of the exciting Sio Tomkinson.
One further change has been made on the bench, as outgoing loose forward Elliot Dixon is given the chance to farewell his home crowd in Southland as he replaces midfielder Thomas Umaga-Jensen, giving the Highlanders a six forwards, two backs split in the reserves.
Four-test All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman, who was named Highlanders Player of the Year on Wednesday, will play his 100th match for the franchise.
Highlanders team to play Waratahs: 1. Ayden Johnstone, 2. Liam Coltman, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Jackson Hemopo, 5. Tom Franklin, 6. Liam Squire, 7. James Lentjes, 8. Luke Whitelock (c), 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Josh Ioane, 11. Tevita Li, 12. Tei Walden, 13. Rob Thompson, 14. Waisake Naholo, 15. Josh McKay.
Reserves: 16. Ash Dixon, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Siate Tokolahi, 19. Josh Dickson, 20. Shannon Frizell, 21. Kayne Hammington, 22. Marty Banks, 23. Elliot Dixon.
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Comments on RugbyPass
I agree ..come on keyboard warriors and journalists looking for a cheap win ….. only 2 mins to go 12 points down …this DID NOT decide the game and beside JM was hit after the whistle and in response it was a pat on the back of the head …harmless ….watch soccer if this is your issue
4 Go to commentsRest is for namby pamby sissies, I see. True men should overcome their trifling injuries by playing week in, week out. Bidwell’s stance reminds me of a Jon Gadsby character from the 70s, a rugby captain giving an after-match speech: “It was a very physical contest. One of our players caught a boot on the back of his head in a ruck, and he died, actually. But to his credit, he played on.”
1 Go to commentsI still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
1 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
27 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
27 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
27 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
27 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
27 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
27 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
27 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
27 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
27 Go to comments