Rugby: More injury woes for Highlanders

Highlanders hooker Jason Macdonald ruptured an Achilles tendon playing club rugby last weekend.

Injury has added further woe to the Highlanders' Super 14 rugby campaign, with hooker Jason Macdonald ruled out of the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The southern franchise may have just sat out a bye week but a decision to release Macdonald and backup halfback Sean Romans to play club rugby over the weekend backfired, with Romans suffering a significant hamstring injury.

Macdonald has played in all but one game this season, mostly off the bench behind Jason Rutledge, while Romans has made four appearances.

Better news for coach Glenn Moore ahead of Saturday's match against the Hurricanes is that fullback Israel Dagg is recovering well from a groin niggle and may play, according to the Otago Daily Times.

Five-eighth Michael Hobbs could also return from a badly bruised thigh but first five-eighth Mathew Berquist (hamstring) and No 8 Nasi Manu (knee) remain in doubt.

- NZPA