Otago lose Faddes through injury

Matt Faddes' topsy-turvy year has all but been put to bed.

Less than three months after Crusaders prop Owen Franks landed on and shattered his right-hand, the Highlanders and Otago utility back broke his left-hand at training in Dunedin on Tuesday.

The blow rules him out of Otago's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury in Christchurch on Sunday, and chances are his Mitre 10 Cup campaign is dead and buried.

Matt Faddes has scored 16 tries for the Highlanders the past two seasons. Faddes will be sidelined for at least six weeks and didn't hide his frustration when he spoke to Stuff about what's been an up and down year.

"I'm pretty gutted," Faddes said. "[Sunday] would have been my first Ranfurly Shield game.

Faddes, who re-signed with the Highlanders until the end of 2019 in April, didn't require surgery after he broke his hand in June, and will find out next week if surgery is required this time round. 

Rewind 12 months and there were calls for Faddes to make the All Blacks on the back of an electric rookie season for the Highlanders. 

But the former New Zealand sevens representative didn't get the same opportunities this year, starting six games - just one in the midfield - and being injected off the pine five times.

Already without injured hooker Liam Coltman (ankle), fullback Michael Collins (stress fracture) and pivot Hayden Parker (knee), the loss of Faddes further dents Otago's chances of pulling off what would be a stirring upset against Canterbury.