He is going to enjoy every minute tonight.
Renton makes a long-awaited comeback from injury and might be the most popular man inside the stadium when the Highlanders host the Hurricanes in a Super Rugby Pacific derby.
The strapping No8 has got his rugby fitness back through some games for the second-string Bravehearts and feels ready to perform at his best.
‘‘I’m excited, and definitely feeling a lot better physically than when I last played a game,’’ Renton said yesterday.
Injuries are part of the sport, but Renton really must have annoyed the rugby gods at some stage.
He broke his jaw at the end of the 2023 campaign with the Highlanders, got three games in 2024 before suffering a bad high ankle sprain that required surgery, and broke his thumb heading into the 2025 campaign.
Then came the big one.
Renton smashed his pubic symphysis, the cartilaginous joint connecting the left and right pubic bones at the front of the pelvis, and ruptured both adductor muscles in his abdomen.
‘‘That wasn’t much fun,’’ he said with the wryest of smiles.
‘‘I tried to battle on, but the body was not functioning too well, so I got surgery on that.
‘‘I’d had a pretty good run before that. I’d played 40 games in three years for the Highlanders, and sometimes when one domino goes, it just carries on.
‘‘Fortunately, I’ve been surrounded by awesome staff at the Highlanders and also abroad, just to help me get back, and I pretty much feel I’ve rebuilt the body, and I’m feeling great.’’
Renton, who turns 30 in May, has always been a man who thinks outside the square.
He has spent time with NFL trainers in the United States in the past, and during this long spell on the sidelines went through some different exercises with Dave Wood, whose Integrated Training business specialises in mental skills and resilience under stress.
‘‘It’s definitely, mentally, been an unknown challenge,’’ Renton said.
‘‘Not many people had really had the injury before, or as significant as that, so there was a time there when I had to seek out different opinions, and the uncertainty of that made it a little difficult.
‘‘There were certainly questions of whether I could play rugby again, even though I always believed I would be back.
‘‘That made it tough, but we’re in a pretty privileged position to be playing pro footy and be surrounded by an awesome team and support staff.’’
Renton wants to emulate team-mate Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, who suffered a terrible neck injury and wondered if rugby would be taken away from him before returning to shine at fullback for the Highlanders.
‘‘Jacob’s injury was crazy, and for him to come back the way he has and perform — that’s an inspiration for me.
‘‘Those thoughts (career-ending injury) were there. We’re human. I would be lying if I said they didn’t pop up now and then.
‘‘But there’s been a plan and a process, and I’m fortunate to be back here and feeling good.’’
Renton and his men will need to match good feelings with spectacular deeds tonight.
Beginning the season with four Kiwi derbies, including two games against the defending champion Crusaders, bookending a trip to Brisbane and the home game against the Force, was always going to be a challenge.
They really need a lot to go right when they host the Hurricanes.
The Highlanders have matched up well against the Hurricanes at times in the past, but the reality is the men from the capital are warm favourites under the roof.
They are top of the table, they look lethal across the park, and they have some serious cavalry returning in the form of Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia, Peter Lakai and Ruben Love.
The Hurricanes are riding a nine-game winning streak against the Highlanders, conceding just 17 points per game in that stretch.
A curtain-raiser this afternoon is the development clash between the Bravehearts and the Hurricanes Hunters.
Highlanders v Hurricanes
Dunedin, 7.05pm
Highlanders: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Caleb Tangitau, Jonah Lowe, Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-captain), Jona Nareki, Reesjan Pasitoa, Folau Fakatava, Hugh Renton (co-captain), Lucas Casey, Sean Withy, TK Howden, Oliver Haig, Angus Ta’avao, Jack Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Soane Vikena, Josh Bartlett, Sefo Kautai, Tai Cribb, Veveni Lasaqa, Adam Lennox, Andrew Knewstubb, Tanielu Tele’a.
Hurricanes: Callum Harkin, Josh Moorby, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett (captain), Fehi Fineanganofo, Ruben Love, Cam Roigard, Brayden Iose, Peter Lakai, Devan Flanders, Warner Dearns, Caleb Delany, Pasilio Tosi, Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia. Reserves: Vernon Bason, Siale Lauaki, Tevita Mafileo, Hugo Plummer, Brad Shields, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Ereatara Enari, Bailyn Sullivan.
