Mauger on bereavement leave
The Highlanders are facing another week without head coach Aaron Mauger.
He’s been in Christchurch since last weekend to be with his unwell mother, who died during the Highlanders’ 18-15 win against the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday night, interim head coach Mark Hammett told Stuff.
Hammett confirmed Mauger wouldn’t play any on-field part in preparing the team to play the Hurricanes in Dunedin on Friday night, but was hopeful he would be on deck for the match at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
‘‘We imagine that the funeral will be Wednesday or Thursday. He would like to be back with us for the game, but we’re putting no pressure on him. It’s just about him doing what he needs to do and being with family.’’
Hammett oversaw the Highlanders’ narrow win against the Reds, and will remain in charge of the team until Mauger returns.
Another disruptive week looms, after they touch down in Dunedin without their seven All Blacks.
Ben Smith, Aaron Smith, Shannon Frizell, Liam Squire, Luke Whitelock, Waisake Naholo and Liam Coltman, who is providing cover for Nathan Harris, will attend a three-day All Blacks camp in Christchurch, and won’t return to Dunedin until tomorrow night.
Hammett labelled last week ‘‘hugely disruptive’’, after the All Blacks camp in Auckland, the need to rest some representatives, and Mauger’s absence.
‘‘All those little things considered, we’re really happy with four points,’’ he said after firstfive Lima Sopoaga kicked a penalty three minutes from time to sink the Reds.
‘‘I’ve got to be careful, I don’t want to talk the game up. The game was messy, and we were certainly nowhere near where we know we can be, but the result was outstanding for us.’’
It marked the Highlanders’ first win at Suncorp Stadium, their first win in Brisbanesince 2005, and ensured they didn’t drop a third game in their past four outings.
They also got 50 minutes from loose forward Liam Squire, who scored one of the Highlanders’ two tries in his first game of rugby since he broke a thumb in March, while utility Richard Buckman played half an hour in his return from a neck injury.
The Highlanders did lose flanker James Lentjes to concussion, and halfback Kayne Hammington to an ankle injury. Both are now in doubt for the final match before the June break.
One thing’s for sure, the Highlanders will attempt to limit the disruption caused by the All Blacks camp by dishing their contingent ‘‘homework’’ while they’re in Christchurch.
‘‘The tools we’ve got to communicate now are fantastic,’’ Hammett said. ‘‘The iPhones and apps we use to pass that information on . . . it’s an easier age to be able to do that than it once was.‘‘
Fourth in the New Zealand conference with 36 competition points and an 8-4 record, the Highlanders trail the Chiefs by one point, the Hurricanes by nine and the first-placed Crusaders by 14.
So it’s no wonder Hammett, not once, but twice, referred to Friday’s showdown with the Hurricanes as ‘‘huge’’.
‘‘We know they’re a dangerous team, but we’re courageous and we pride ourselves on that. We will just work hard to make sure we’ve got the energy to bring that out before the break.’’