Power locks Pari Pari Parkinson and Josh Dickson return to the starting XV for tomorrow’s game against the Fijian Drua at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The Highlanders will be hoping to smoothly add a second win following their duck-breaker against the Force in Invercargill, and to do that, they might need to get the lineout humming again.
They had the best lineout in Super Rugby Pacific last year but have plunged to second-last in 2023, their scratchy success rate of 81.3% topping only the Drua’s 78.6%.
In the Highlanders’ defence, they have had a rotating cast of hookers — they start their third in three weeks tomorrow — and have also had a revolving door in the second row, a situation highlighted by Southland stalwart Josh Bekhuis not only making a surprise start against the Force but having to play the full 80 minutes.
Returning the classy Parkinson (back from concussion) and Dickson (illness) should help matters no end.
"Both got through main training well," Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody said yesterday.
"Josh Bekhuis did a great job for us last week, but having those two guys come back is going to be a big boost for the team.
"I think our lineout was improved at the weekend.
"We’ve got a few things to tidy up around our maul defence and the maul itself, but I think our lineout was actually pretty accurate against the Force, so hopefully that’s a sign of things to come."
Regular hookers Andrew Makalio and Rhys Marshall are both sidelined with concussion.
That means the rarely sighted Leni Apisai starts in the No2 jersey, and 19-year-old Southland hooker Jack Taylor — who stole the limelight with two tries against the Crusaders in Weston before the season — could make his Super Rugby debut from the bench.
"Jack played half a game in pre-season against a pretty good Crusaders team and played really well," Dermody said.
"He’s been with us through the whole pre-season, so he knows all our stuff. Physically and mentally, he’s ready to go, so that’s probably the most important thing.
"We’re not throwing someone out there who is not ready to go."
Taylor’s introduction continues the youth revolution — technically forced by injuries, but still exciting for local fans and families — that led to Cameron Millar, Oli Haig and Finn Hurley making their debuts against the Force.
Shannon Frizell, a late scratching in Invercargill, remains out with a hip niggle, as does fellow loosie Marino Mikaele-Tu’u (ribs).
Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u and Will Tucker return to the bench.
The Highlanders have named an unchanged backline as winger Jona Nareki, while back running, is still not ready to play, and English import Freddie Burns recuperates from his knee issue.
Jake Te Hiwi, who made a promising debut against the Chiefs in week three, comes on to the bench in place of Hurley.
Highlanders team
To play Drua
Highlanders: Sam Gilbert, Martin Bogado, Josh Timu, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Jonah Lowe, Mitch Hunt, Aaron Smith, Hugh Renton, Billy Harmon (captain), Sean Withy, Josh Dickson, Pari Pari Parkinson, Jermaine Ainsley, Leni Apisai, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Jack Taylor, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Will Tucker, James Lentjes, Folau Fakatava, Cameron Millar, Jake Te Hiwi.
