Short-term pain, long-term gain for Highlanders?

The Highlanders will sorely miss benched captain Billy Harmon and in-form flanker Sean Withy from the starting lineup against the Waratahs, both of whom have paid the price for a team disciplinary breach.

Harmon is a tackling machine and Withy has been the Highlanders’ best forward over the opening two rounds.

Harmon and Withy still have the chance to make an impact from the bench, but there’s no sugar-coating their demotions for being late to a team meeting: the Waratahs will smell blood in the water and they’ll be brimming with confidence after beating the Crusaders 37-24 last weekend.

They’ll almost certainly target the Highlanders up front.

Highlanders hooker Henry Bell will know what’s coming, because the Waratahs* picked off several of his brother George’s throws against the Crusaders.

Waratahs and Wallabies lock Jed Holloway caused the damage last week, and the Highlanders are already short in the locking department, with Pari Pari Parkinson, Mitchell Dunshea and Will Tucker all unavailable.

Hugh Renton will cover lock in Sydney. Wallabies Angus Bell and Langi Gleeson are also heavy ball carriers, as Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody alluded to when discussing the selection of Nikora Broughton, primarily a No 8, in Harmon’s No 7 jersey.

“We see him as a different athlete to the other boys,” Dermody said. “He’s done well when he’s been on the field for us so far this season. We’ve got a big task in front of us with the physical Waratahs pack coming up.

“So, we’ll be able to use his skillset early in the game.”

The Blues used their big forwards to dominate possession against the Highlanders last week – they had 60% possession of the ball – and it will be a tough night in Sydney if the Waratahs do likewise.

The question marks lie in that revamped loose-forward trio without Harmon and Withy. They are big losses.

It was, however, the right call to bench them. Their offences might have been at the minor end of the scale but a breach is a breach, and the rules apply to everyone.

The benefits of the decision might not be immediately tangible tonight, but they will be in time.