Queensland flanker Connor Vest was taken to Dunedin Hospital after being hurt in an awkward collision with Highlanders forwards Shannon Frizell and Andrew Makalio during the game at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday night.
Vest was later diagnosed with a fracture of the C7 vertebrae, Australian media reported.
There was no sanction at the time and no Highlanders player has been called to the judiciary.
"We’re really sorry for Connor and hope that he mends himself pretty quickly," Highlanders assistant coach Richard Whiffin said yesterday.
"In terms of the tackle itself, it’s obviously looked at in-game, and it’s been looked at post-game around any sort of citing things, and it’s been cleared, so there’s nothing really we can do about it."
The Highlanders had little time to celebrate the last-minute 35-30 win over the Reds as they prepared for this Friday’s clash with the Blues at Eden Park.
Whiffin felt the last home game of the season included a few wasted opportunities, and a couple of soft tries for the Australians, but there were signs the Highlanders were making progress.
"It kind of shows where we’ve been in the past few weeks with the boys tucking in. They have belief, when we get in the right areas of the field, that we can cause some teams some trouble.
"We’re improving every week. We’ve tweaked a few things and got better, but we still haven’t really put an 80-minute performance together.
"That’s the plan for the week. The closer we get to an 80-minute performance, we can put the Blues under some pressure."
The man of the moment is reserve halfback Folau Fakatava, perhaps an outside chance of a start this week after his dramatic match-winning try and the emotional farewell for Aaron Smith.
Fakatava’s great gift was his instinct for an opportunity, Whiffin said.
"The key thing we’ve been working on is actually just waiting for that space to open up, because he’ll feel it. He doesn’t have to go looking for it.
"He understands where space is, he feels it, and you only have to give him half a gap and he’s got the ability to beat someone.
"For him, it’s about just playing on instinct and waiting for those opportunities."
The Highlanders welcome back lock Will Tucker from his head knock, but midfielder Thomas Umaga-Jensen (calf) is out again, and there will still be no return for Argentine winger Martin Bogado (quad).
In-form utility back Sam Gilbert was also having a scan on a banged-up wrist yesterday.
A bunch of Highlanders, including chief executive Roger Clark and squad players not travelling to Auckland, will attend Thursday’s funeral for Sam Dickson, younger brother of lock Josh.
— The Highlanders do not need degrees in advanced mathematics (ODT, 29.5.23) but the sports editor might find one helpful.
A slip of the keyboard (honestly) led to the suggestion the Highlanders, should they lose to the Blues on Friday night, will need the Reds to LOSE to the Fijian Drua.
They will actually need the Reds to find a way to win that game, along with the Force losing to the Chiefs, and the Rebels losing to the Brumbies.
Ideally, the Highlanders will take everything else out of the equation by beating the Blues.
