Smith counts lucky stars

Highlanders fullback Ben Smith is counting his lucky stars after a fourth concussion in the past five years only sidelined him for two weeks.

While he now feels ‘‘very good’’ and has been cleared to play in his team’s crunch match against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday night, things weren’t so rosy in the aftermath of his latest head knock.

The 30-year-old was knocked out when he banged his head on the ground after contesting a high ball with Chiefs fullback Damian McKenzie in Dunedin last month, before being helped from the field by medical staff.

‘‘I lost a wee bit of memory straight after it,’’ Smith said. ‘‘The next few days were a bit tough but it cleared up and came right.’’

Smith, who also missed two games during last season’s Super Rugby competition due to concussion, said the symptoms from his latest head knock were mostly fatigue.

‘‘I just felt really tired. So I had to make sure I was resting. It just needed a bit of time to clear and I’m just really lucky that that it did clear up.’’

In Smith’s absence, the Highlanders butchered a big lead in a home loss to the Crusaders, before notching their first win after digging in at Eden Park and pipping the Blues last Friday night.

Now, their inspirational leader and game-breaking fullback returns to play the defending champion Hurricanes in a rematch of the 2015 final, won by the Dunedin-based side.

Given it will be his first game since McKenzie landed on him and his head bounced off the Forsyth Barr Stadium turf, it would be hard to blame Smith if he was anxious when discussing the first bomb a Hurricanes’ player sends his way.