Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has his work cutout now with his All Blacks first five Colin Slade ruled out for the season with a broken ankle. Colin Slade has had a rotten run with injuries which has seen him play only seven matches for the Highlanders. So not only did the Highlanders lose to the Brumbies, but they also lost Slade to add insult to injury.

Colin Slade joins Lima Sopoaga on the sidelines, leaving the reliable Chris Noakes as the only first five eighth in the squad. Jamie Joseph now has a dilemma of whether to use an existing player out of position to provide cover for Noakes or to recruit from outside of the squad?

Glenn Dickson (Otago) - the Otago first five eighth would be the obvious candidate as he is in the Highlanders wider training squad and played pre-season matches for the Highlanders. He is an accomplished goalkicker. The only problem is that he has a wrist injury and hardly sets the backline alight on attack.

Trent Renata (Waikato) - Renata is an exciting first five eighth who excelled for Waikato in the ITM Cup domestic competition. While Renata is inexperienced at Super Rugby level, I would suggest that he has more potential to do well at Super Rugby level and spark the Highlanders backline. He is in the Chiefs wider training squad, so I wonder if it would be poor form for Joseph to pick him up, when he has Dickson in his own training squad?

Scott Eade (Southland) and Hayden Parker (Otago) - These guys are impressive young players, but they are too young having had very little time at provincial level let alone Super Rugby level. Eade is tiny.

Phil Burleigh (Bay of Plenty) - Burleigh has played well at inside centre this season and has actually played at first five eighth for Bay of Plenty, but I wonder if he has the kicking game to play there at Super Rugby level. I think that Ben Smith from the current squad could also play at first five at a pinch, but Super Rugby level is not the place to be playing out of position.

Tony Brown (Otago) - The evergreen Tony Brown answered an SOS last year, but he hasn't been playing this season. His playing days seem to be over. He has moved on to coaching in Otago now.

Who do you think should be the replacement first five eighth at the Highlanders? I think Trent Renata has the potential to play well there and should be on Jamie Joseph's shopping list. Glenn Dickson is solid, but he is injured and even at full fitness he may not have the running game for Super Rugby.

http://www.superrugbytips.com/2012/03/super-rugby-highlander-colin-slade-out.html