Highlanders' harrowing 17-man injury list laid bare after nail-biting win over Western Force
The Highlanders could have been forgiven if they had lost to the Western Force in round four of Super Rugby Pacific.
New Zealand's southernmost team are the competition's walking wounded, with an entire team's worth of players injured.
The team just scraped through, winning the close contest 43-35 at Dunedin's Rugby Park.
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Leading into Saturday's match, the Highlanders had 12 players sidelined due to injury.
Andrew Makalio receives medical attention during the round four Super Rugby Pacific match between Highlanders and Western Force. Joe Allison via Getty Images
They then lost five more with James Lentjes and Connor Garden-Bachop late omissions from the original 23-man squad named on Friday.
Shannon Frizell, Andrew Makaliom, and Fabian Holland all bowed out before the first half was completed.
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Four players made their Super Rugby Pacific debuts as a result, with Cam Millar, Oliver Haig, Finn Hurley and PJ Sheck all called in from outside the squad.
All told, the Highlanders left the ground with 17 injured players in their ranks.
It's hoped at least two of the wounded men will return for the fifth round match against the Fijian Drua on Saturday, those being Josh Dickson and Pari Pari Parkinson.
Freddie Burns (right) in action for the Highlanders during their Super Round match against the Crusaders. Quinn Rooney via Getty Images
One man who won't be back any time soon is England import Freddie Burns.
Taking to social media, he revealed the extent of the knee injury he suffered in the Highlanders' round three loss to the Chiefs.
In an Instagram post, Burns confirmed he fractured his knee but was fortunate not to come away with a worse injury.
"Gutted to be facing a bit of time on the sideline with an anterior tibial plateau fracture but these things happen in rugby," he wrote.
"Count myself pretty lucky after watching the footage back.
"Just got to recover well, attack the rehab and with a bit of luck be running around again by the end of April."
Highlanders injury list:
Vili Koroi (knee)
Marty Banks (groin)
Jona Nareki (foot)
Marino Mikaele Tu'u (ribs)
Scott Gregory (knee)
Thwaites (back)
Will Tucker (groin)
Saula Ma'u (chest)
Freddie Burns (knee)
Josh Dickson (illness)
Pari Pari Parkinson (concussion)
Mosese Dawai (knee)
Shannon Frizell (hip flexor/groin)
James Lentjes (neck)
Andrew Makaliom
Connor Garden-Bachop
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