The following is a Press Release from The Highlanders Super Rugby franchise.
The defending Super Rugby champion Highlanders have been dealt a double injury blow with winger Waisake Naholo and halfback Fumiaki Tanaka both ruled out for at least four weeks. The injuries are another headache for coach Jamie Joseph, who is already without back Richard Buckman who was lost for the season with a serious shoulder injury suffered in the exhibition against Racing 92 in Hong Kong last month.
Highlanders Double Injury Blow
Naholo, whose stellar 2015 campaign vaulted him into the All Blacks, has suffered a new fracture to the same leg he broke on debut against Argentina last year in the late stages of Friday’s loss to the Blues and expected to be out for 6-8 weeks. He recovered to make the World Cup squad, but looked short of his best form and didn’t feature after the pool stage. Back then his use of traditional Fijian remedies over more conventional Western treatment raised eyebrows, but reports indicate he won’t be returning to that this time. His absence though robs the Highlanders of one of their twin outside strike weapons (along with Patrick Osborne), with Ryan Tongia and Jason Emery amongst the options for Joseph to consider.
Tanaka injured his calf in training and was replaced in the announced matchday 23 for the Blues clash by Josh Renton. Scans revealed the extent of the problem with the Japanese international and fans cult hero expected to miss four weeks. With All Black Aaron Smith firmly installed as first-choice and logging most of the minutes the backup role isnt quite as critical as it is for most sides, but a dependable set of hands are still key. That role will now fall to Renton, a former New Zealand Schools and Under 20s representative who – perhaps cheekily – lists Tanaka as his favourite player in his team profile, though Joseph may still bring in another halfback from outside the squad to provide additional cover.
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The Highlanders play The Hurricanes on Saturday the 5th March, at Forsyth-Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
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