Mackintosh ready to roar for Highlanders
Watch out for Whopper: Stags skipper Jamie Mackintosh finally gets his chance for the Highlanders tonight against the Blues at Eden Park after watching the franchise’s frustrating start to the season from the grandstand.
The 62-game veteran and former Highlanders captain hasn’t even stripped for a Super Rugby game this year. The summer signing of All Black loosehead Tony Woodcock and a back injury has limited Mackintosh’s rugby this year to leading the franchise’s development team and a club game for Dunedin team Harbour.
Highlanders assistant coach Scott McLeod said Mackintosh, who comes into the team with Woodcock hobbled by a hamstring strain, had boosted the team this week at training. ‘‘He’s been leading the excitement,’’ McLeod said.
There has been a new face at the Highlanders this week, with former Crusader and nine-game All Black Mose Tuiali’i the fifth New Zealand player to arrive at Logan Park from Japan in the past two years. Tuiali’i played three games for the Blues and 65 games for the Crusaders before taking up a contract with Yamaha in 2008.
He has been brought into the Highlanders with Nasi Manu not expected to recover from a foot injury until too late this season.
‘‘He’s definitely brought in some freshness and some enthusiasm.
‘‘He hasn’t been in a Super Rugby environment for some time, so he’s pretty excited,’’ McLeod said.
Mackintosh and Tuiali’i are the only changes to the team which slumped to a fifth-straight loss to the Reds last week.
Elliot Dixon has produced some nice pieces of play over the past couple of weeks but has paid the price for some costly defensive lapses, losing his place to the incoming Tuiali’i.
Woodcock played against the Reds, despite missing the Chiefs game the week before due to a hamstring strain, but he looked uncomfortable when he came off in the second half. He will miss out on playing against the franchise he played 113 games for before heading south, but should be available for next week’s home game against the Brumbies.
The cavalry are coming for the Highlanders, with Tamati Ellison also possibly making an early return in the next couple of weeks, along with Kade Poki and Shaun Treeby. McLeod said the Highlanders wouldn’t have it any easier this week as they go hunt- ing for their first win. ‘‘The Blues started very strong. ‘‘They are very proud and have got a coaching team that is very good and experienced. I’m sure they’ll have them firing.’’
Having previously worked as an assistant coach with Waikato for three years, McLeod – who joins fellow first-year assistant Jon Preston and head coach Jamie Joseph in the coaching staff – said he wasn’t regretting the decision to move to Dunedin despite the Highlanders’ disappointing start to the season. ‘‘Not once; I’m thoroughly enjoying my job.’’