Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Rising Highlanders star ruled out of Super Rugby Aotearoa with season-ending injury

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Highlanders have suffered a significant injury blow in their forward pack as up-and-coming lock Josh Dickson has been ruled out for the remainder of the Super Rugby Aotearoa season with a broken leg.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dickson was taken from the field in a medical cart during the first half of the Highlanders’ 40-20 defeat to the Crusaders in Dunedin on Saturday after his lower left leg was struck by a swinging boot.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, Highlanders assistant coach Riki Flutey confirmed that the resulting injury was a broken fibula, which is expected to keep the 25-year-old second rower out of action for at least four months.

Video Spacer

The Breakdown | Episode 24

Video Spacer

The Breakdown | Episode 24

Dickson’s absence from the Highlanders’ starting line-up is sure to be sorely felt, with the Australian-born prospect enjoying career-best form this season.

Forming a dynamic second row partnership with highly-rated young lock Pari Pari Parkinson, Dickson had impressed onlookers with his leadership at the lineout and solid ball-carrying ability.

He currently leads Super Rugby Aotearoa for lineout wins (13), and was staking a strong claim to take one of the vacant lock positions in the All Blacks set-up prior to his injury.

With Brodie Retallick on sabbatical and Scott Barrett out for the rest of the Super Rugby Aotearoa season due to a foot injury, All Blacks boss Ian Foster urged young locks to put their hands up for selection in an interview with the New Zealand Herald earlier this week.

ADVERTISEMENT

“You don’t have to be Einstein to know we’re spreading out net widely at lock,” Foster told the Herald.

“Scott Barrett’s injury is going to make that worse and more obvious. If you’re a young lock in this country right now then play well.”

Dickson had certainly fit that bill throughout 2020 and must have stood as one of the contenders to accompany incumbent locks Sam Whitelock and Patrick Tuipulotu in the national set-up.

This setback will put the fast-rising star’s international aspirations on ice for the time being, though, with Flutey outlining the contribution Dickson has made to the Highlanders in 2020.

ADVERTISEMENT

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCXDFnmgNEZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“Josh has been outstanding, [an] outstanding leader,” Flutey said.

“He’s leading off the field, running our forwards, and also on the field as well. [He’s] been playing really well.”

Injury-ridden ex-Hurricanes lock Geoff Cridge has been called into the squad as Dickson’s replacement for the remainder of the campaign, but it might well be Jack Whetton who benefits the most from his teammate’s upcoming sideline spell.

The well-travelled son of 1987 World Cup-winning All Black Gary Whetton put in a hearty display off the bench against the Crusaders after Dickson left the field.

His physical showing may be rewarded with promotion into the starting line-up, with promising rookie Manaaki Selby-Rickit also in contention to face off against the Hurricanes in Wellington this weekend.

“Manaaki is available this weekend,” Flutey said.

“He’s a young guy showing some really good signs during trainings, and off the field as well with his young leadership.”

One player who remains unlikely to play at Sky Stadium on Sunday is former All Blacks wing Nehe Milner-Skudder, who is still working through the rehabilitation of his shoulder injury.

Flutey, meanwhile, was unable to provide an update on the availability of injured pair Josh Ioane (quad) and Ngane Punivai (concussion).

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
AM 39 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

72 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Seven stars set to light up the Autumn Nations Series Seven stars set to light up the Autumn Nations Series
Search