Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody could afford to crack a joke yesterday after his team hung on for its much-needed first win of the season.
He was also digesting the latest additions to a bulging injury list that is placing almost intolerable stress on the club’s depth.
Dermody was happy to seal victory over the Force in Invercargill, but knew it was not a vintage performance.
"We played good enough, and we executed really well when we got opportunities in the 22m," he said last night.
"But still just compounding errors hurt us, and gave the Force an opportunity to get back into the game, so we couldn’t quite get away until the last 10 minutes.
"Then, for whatever reason, we let them get back in and score two quick tries, so we lost the bonus point."
The Highlanders had started the season with three heavy losses.
Dermody said the big focus had been creating some momentum, and he saw signs of improvement yesterday.
"What we haven’t been great at is keeping some momentum in our game, and we were better at that. There were stages where we were stringing five or six good things together in a row.
"That is the game. If we can keep that up, hopefully that translates to some momentum in our season."
Victory over the Force will mean little if the Highlanders cannot beat the Drua this Saturday, and Dermody knows the Fijians will be dangerous under the roof.
But who will the Highlanders be able to field?
A long injury list worsened yesterday when All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizell was scratched with a groin/hip issue barely two minutes before the game.
Connor Garden-Bachop had been ruled out on Saturday with a back issue, hooker Andrew Makalio suffered a head knock in the first quarter of yesterday’s game, and young lock Fabian Holland lasted 30 minutes before leaving with a tight hamstring.
The latter’s issue meant 36-year-old lock Josh Bekhuis, playing his first game for the Highlanders in nine years, had to play the full 80 minutes, a remarkable effort that impressed Dermody.
"He’s got a massive engine on him. I think it was lucky we were going downwind in the second half."
Dermody is trying to stay calm about the injury crisis.
"I think if we ride it out, it will definitely turn.
"That’s the positive spin. Ideally, we’re not talking about injuries like this next week."
