Will Heinz's injury opens door for Billy Guyton at the Crusaders? [Stuff]
A season-ending leg injury to Willi Heinz has propelled South Canterbury oldboy Billy Guyton into the Super Rugby spotlight.
There was a collective groan around Timaru's Alpine Energy Stadium as Heinz broke his left fibula attempting a tackle in the second quarter of the Crusaders pre-season hitout against the Highlanders on Saturday.
Heinz's anguish was apparent and the quarter was ended early to deal with his injury, the classy halfback eventually stretchered off eight minutes later.
The 29-26 loss to a sharp Highlanders team will scarcely register with coach Todd Blackadder in comparison to the loss of Heinz.
Veteran halfback Andy Ellis may not return to the Crusaders fold until early March if his Japanese club goes all the way to the final, meaning Blackadder has a selection headache on his hands for the early rounds.
Waimate's Guyton played the final two quarters on Saturday and Blackadder said there was a chance for him to play some serious minutes if he kept performing.
"I thought he did a lot of things really well and there will also be a lot of things that he learned about himself out there.
"There's now an opportunity, with Willi's injury, for Billy to step up and I hope he can take it."
Guyton said he was was not expecting to be as involved as he was at his first outing at Alpine Energy.
"I thought overall it was an awesome experience, I couldn't have asked for better support or a better day. It's really disappointing for Willi, you couldn't wish something like that on anyone, but I guess it gives me a door now."
Guyton, 24, will be competing for a starting spot with Nelson's Mitchell Drummond, 20, who looked good and scored the opening try of the match from a scrum intercept in the fifth minute of the game.
The Crusaders looked sharper early on and went into the second of four 20-minute quarters leading 12-0, but the Highlanders began to dominate territory and possession as their combinations handled the game's rolling substitutions better.
Ex-league player and male model Ryan Tongia was a presence on the wing and scored twice, including one from a Kurt Baker chip kick, while Heinz lay clutching his leg on the 22.
Guyton's opposite Scott Eade darted through a gap to give the Highlanders the lead in the third quarter before No 8 Elliot Dixon made up for a shaky start by crashing over.
Robbie Fruean showed the crowd why the Crusaders wanted him back, crashing through defenders in the leadup to a try by No 8 Reed Prinsep, but for the most part the red-and-blacks discipline and wayward passing cost them.
Tongia scored again for the Highlanders in the fourth quarter. The wing then had a chance to seal the game with a hat-trick but spilled it with nothing but green pasture ahead of him.
A try to the Crusaders' Jordan Taufua to bring scores within three points with three minutes remaining added some spice.
But when Crusaders prop Nepo Laulala, who had earlier put a crunching hit on former Hurricanes lock Mark Reddish, went for similar contact with a falling Waisake Naholo, he was shown a yellow card that killed off the challenge.
AT A GLANCEThe Crusaders will be sweating on the fitness of wing import Jone Macalai over the next few days after he walked off with a suspected broken arm, while a relatively unscathed Highlanders side travel to Wagga Wagga for a pre-season hitout with the Brumbies.
Highlanders 29 (Ryan Tongia 2, John Hardie, Scott Eade, Elliot Dixon tries; Hayden Parker 2 con) Crusaders 26 (Mitchell Drummond, Johnny McNicholl, Reed Prinsep, Jordan Taufua tries; Richie Mo'unga 2, Brook Hooper con) HT: 10-12
- The Timaru Herald
