Experienced loosehead Daniel Lienert-Brown is the latest prop afflicted, having picked up an arm injury in the Highlanders’ win over the Chiefs last Friday night in Hamilton. He went down injured in the second half at Waikato Stadium.
Lienert-Brown has fractured his left forearm and is out until late April.
With Super Rugby Aotearoa only running its regular season until the end of April, Lienert-Brown may be touch and go to be sighted in the competition should it finish after two rounds.
New signing Jermaine Ainsley is already out for the season, having suffered a high ankle sprain just before the first pre-season match last month.
Ayden Johnstone, who is in his third year with the Highlanders, has not played since he was concussed in the North-South match in September last year. He has returned to training but no indication has been given when he will be available to play.
That leaves the Highlanders with Ethan De Groot, Josh Hohneck, Siate Tokolahi and Jeff Thwaites. De Groot is a loosehead while Hohneck can play both sides. Tokolahi and Thwaites both play on the tighthead side though they could play on the other side.
It is not a great position to be in and the Highlanders are looking to bring in a replacement player this week.
The Highlanders take on the Blues this Sunday and one thing the Auckland-based side is not lacking in is props. It has four All Blacks in its propping ranks and has plenty of confidence in its set piece.
Lienert-Brown’s experience is also a big loss. He has played 86 games for the Highlanders since making his debut in 2015.
A transtasman competition was scheduled to be played in May and June after domestic competitions were played on both sides of the Tasman. But with no sign of borders being opened anytime soon the only option may be to play a third round of the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition.
A decision on the transtasman competition is expected sometime this month.
