Highlanders lose de Groot for Tahs clash
The Highlanders will be without the services of Ethan de Groot for the crunch clash against the Waratahs on Sunday, as as the side from Dunedin chases the win it needs to guarantee a top-eight finish.
Assistant coach Clarke Dermody confirmed yesterday that de Groot ‘‘had taken a bang on his shoulder’’ in the win against the Force, and in any case would be unavailable due to an All Blacks rest week.
However, the loss has been significantly softened by the news that All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizell is set to return if the Highlanders make the finals.
Frizell was injured against the Hurricanes last month, sparking fears his season was over, but Dermody said he was back on the training field..
‘‘Shannon is not quite ready, but he’s not too far away, which is promising heading into the games we’ve got,’’ Dermody said.
‘‘He’s back running and starting back into training with us.
‘‘Maybe that game [the Rebels in Melbourne in round 15], but it’ll be a pretty close call I think for that week. So, potentially the week after if we get that far.’’
Frizell’s return – and the possibility of a Frizell-Billy HarmonMarino Mikaele-Tu’u back row – would be a massive boost for the Highlanders as confidence begins to flow within the squad.
There was mixed injury news elsewhere. Dermody said lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit was still ‘‘a couple of weeks’’ behind Frizell, while Mitch Hunt looks like he will join de Groot as a spectator for the Waratahs game.
It would be a major surprise not to see Sam Gilbert wear the No 10 jersey on Sunday, particularly after a display against the Force that Dermody said vindicated Tony Brown’s faith in him.
‘‘I’m really happy for Sam, he controlled the team really well,’’ Dermody said. ‘‘And he’s got a point of difference with his running game and being able to offload. Obviously, it puts his name right in the hat for that 10 jersey.’’
Midfielder/wing Denny Solomona is also available again, while wing Rory van Vugt – who was injured in a pre-season clash – played club rugby in Dunedin last weekend.
Fetuli Paea, Josh Timu, Solomona, Liam Coombes-Fabling and van Vugt are now fighting for two starting spots (midfield and wing) and one place on the bench, but Dermody said the Highlanders wouldn’t change too much after finding their groove over the past month.
De Groot’s absence is a potential spanner in the works, particularly as the Waratahs’ loss against the Hurricanes last weekend showed how important the scrum battle is.
Dermody, a scrum connoisseur, watched that game with interest, particularly how Owen Franks came on in the first half and completely changed the set-piece fight to favour the Hurricanes.
Dermody noted that Franks’ 100-plus All Blacks caps helped him in that regard, but from a technical perspective also spotted a change in approach when Franks replaced Tyrel Lomax.
‘‘It looked like they gave themselves a bit more space,’’ Dermody said.
‘‘It looked like in the first half Lomax and [Waratahs prop Angus] Bell were pre-engaging, which made it high and allowed the Waratahs to get up that left-hand side, which they were obviously targeting, and trying to do.’’