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Interim Highlanders boss Clarke Dermody sets date on Josh Ioane's injury return

(Photo by Dianne Manson/Getty Images)

The Highlanders could welcome back star playmaker Josh Ioane from an ankle injury as early as next week when the Dunedin franchise take on the Western Force in Perth.

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Speaking shortly after his side’s comprehensive 40-19 dismantling of the Queensland Reds in the opening match of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman in Dunedin on Friday, interim Highlanders head coach Clarke Dermody revealed Ioane is in line for a return within the coming fortnight.

“He’s back running now. I think he’s got another session tomorrow, but all indications are he’s nearly there, so we’re hoping to be able to use him, if not next week, then definitely the week after,” Dermody, who is filling in for Tony Brown while he is on international duty with Japan, said.

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Ioane hasn’t featured for the Highlanders since he sprained his ankle on the eve of his team’s heavy defeat to the Hurricanes in their final Super Rugby Aotearoa match two weeks ago.

Prior to that, the one-test All Black had been in top form for the Highlanders, playing starring roles in their matches against the Chiefs and Blues in the lead-up to his injury.

The 25-year-old’s shift to fullback allowed him to flourish with extra time and space available to him as gelled well with first-five Mitch Hunt in a dual playmaking partnership.

Hunt has also played well this season, and that continued at Forsyth Barr Stadium as he worked with halves partner and co-captain Aaron Smith to bombard the Reds with a series of well-executed tactical kicks.

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Time and time again, Hunt and Smith forced the Super Rugby AU champions onto the back foot by kicking the ball in behind their defensive line and into open space.

Hunt admitted after the match it was a deliberate ploy designed to run the big Queensland forwards off their feet, something of which the Highlanders capitalised on through their quick, off-the-cuff attack.

“It’s tough to get the ball in behind and continually try and turn yourself around, especially in their group where they’ve got a lot of big boys,” the 25-year-old said.

“It’s going to be hard for them to keep going back, exit well, keep going back, exit well, and that takes its toll on a team, so that was a big part [of our game plan].”

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Hunt also revealed the Highlanders placed a big emphasis on the defensive side of their game and spoke highly of his fellow backs, who he said stood up and dominated on the opposite side of the ball against the Reds.

“Obviously our defence as well was huge tonight. We were pretty poor [during Super Rugby Aotearoa] and a big focus was our backs tonight.

“Some great shots tonight by Sio [Tomkinson], Scotty Gregory, our wingers getting up into those channels and really making a nuisance of ourselves and that paid dividends for us.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Smith, who said the victory was the perfect way to start Super Rugby Trans-Tasman.

“It was a chance at redemption and a fresh start,” the 97-test All Blacks said.

“We had a great review last week around the Aotearoa comp, where we got things right and where we got things wrong, and we really tried to build a consistent week from our positive weeks of the Aotearoa comp and I think we got that tonight.

“We were full of energy, we were at home, and we had a great plan. The Reds still had their moments, but I felt like we controlled the game, really wanted to control the territory battle and run them around.

“We knew they might have had a big week celebrating [their Super Rugby AU title] and we didn’t want to show them any mercy and give them a chance. We just really wanted to make them work, make them earn everything they got.

“If you let them go set piece to set piece, they’re very dangerous, but I was really proud of their efforts tonight. A couple of guys got a shot and took their opportunities.”

Now sitting at the top of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman table, the Highlanders will travel to Perth on Tuesday via Auckland and Sydney before they take on the Western Force at HBF Park next Friday.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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