Coltman, who came on to the field as a second-half replacement, is expected to be out for at least six weeks with a nasty toe injury.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph was not happy about the incident.
"Liam Coltman was cleaned out off the ball last week and has a really serious toe injury. It will keep him out at least six weeks. That is a really unfortunate injury for us, as he is a key player,'' Joseph said.
Coltman will see a surgeon next week on the exact nature of the injury and whether he needs surgery.
"He was cleaned out off the ball from behind him and his leg got trapped. His ligament behind the toe got ripped off from that.''
It is a similar to turf toe, in which players damage the ligament behind the big toe through overuse and cannot put any pressure on the toe.
Coltman's injury was believed to have come from a neck hold by a Sharks players near the end of the game but no Sharks player was cited afterwards.
Coltman (26) played every game for the Highlanders last year and he has been replaced in the starting line-up by Ash Dixon.
Auckland hooker Greg Pleasants-Tate comes on to the reserves bench and will make his Highlanders debut if he comes on to the field tomorrow in Invercargill.
Joseph said the team was looking at a replacement in the squad for Coltman but nothing had been decided yet.
Meanwhile, Coltman's former front-row partner, Kane Hames, has resurfaced in the Chiefs set-up.
Hames had a breakout year in 2014 for the Highlanders having been plucked out of a Bay of Plenty side.
He impressed so much he was called into an All Black training camp.
But his second season was forgettable as he got hit with a five-week suspension and then a knee injury.
He moved to Tasman last year but was again hampered by injury for his new provincial side.
He took himself out of contention for this year's Super rugby teams, wanting to get his knees right.
But with teams all over the country running short on props, Hames has been called up to the Chiefs.
After a club game last week, the loosehead prop has been named on the bench for the Chiefs in their game against the Sharks in New Plymouth tonight.