Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger is defending his side's dual playmaker combination, coming in the wake of last night's upset 28-22 defeat to the Rebels in Dunedin.
As the Highlanders slumped to an error-ridden defeat, the current system of Mitch Hunt at first-five and Josh Ioane out of position in the number 12 jersey has again come under fire, the Dunedin side winning just one of their first four matches in 2020.
The Highlanders' lack of cohesion in their dual playmaker system was summed up by a try to Rebel wing Andew Kellaway, pouncing on a dropped pass from Hunt to Ioane, running away to score.
Dual playmaker strategies have become a somewhat contentious issue over the past 18 months, with the All Blacks' combination of Richie Mo'unga and Beauden Barrett coming up short during last year's Rugby World Cup in Japan.
However, speaking to media in Dunedin after last night's loss, coach Mauger insists that he'll continue to make the most of the Hunt-Ioane axis for the time being.
"They're going all right, those boys," Mauger said. "It's hard to pin it on two guys. It's our whole game really.
"We've got people dropping the ball with the line wide open and lineouts. The No 10 and No 12 have nothing to do with that.
"So, it's really looking at our whole game and making sure we're putting it all together."
The Highlanders will have their work cut out for them to end their woeful start to 2020, next travelling to face the Bulls away in Pretoria.
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