Highlanders coach Tony Brown has leapt to the defense of Folau Fakatava, after the halfback's underwhelming performance in their 21-14 loss to the Hurricanes on Saturday
Handed the No. 9 jersey for the first time ahead of All Blacks incumbent Aaron Smith, Fakatava failed to capitalise on his opportunity, making sizeable contribution to his team's myriad of mistakes, before being replaced at halftime.
Touted as a candidate for All Blacks honours after another stellar NPC campaign with Hawke's Bay, Fakatava misfired on a day when Chief Brad Weber sent a reminder of his class to the national selectors with a two-try performance against the Blues.
"It's a different intensity, a different physicality when you are starting," said Brown after the game. "[Fakatava] hasn't played a lot of rugby, and he'll be better for it next week.
"He's also got to learn not to take everyone on by himself. So, he's got to play with the team and do his job better."
In a match only a mother could have loved, the Highlanders were on the worst end of the error count, with a "hugely frustrated" Brown left to lament his team's inability to convert possession into points.
The defeat leaves the Highlanders winless through their first games of Super Rugby Pacific.
"We had 21 turnovers. Even though we had 66 percent possession, 21 turnovers is just not good enough at this level.
"We're not quite executing in that last metre. Everything seems to be going against us when we get a metre away from the line, even the referee and TMO. We're not quite getting the job done.
"We've lost our mojo and we just need to find it quickly. Otherwise, we're staring down a pretty tough season."
The Highlanders pack had the upper-hand over its counterparts throughout Saturday's contest, only to be continually let down by poor execution by their backline.
"When you see guys dropping the ball with the line open, and getting hard with their skills one metre out, it's just tough to watch," Brown adds.
The Highlanders will head north to try and secure their first win of the season against the Blues on Saturday.
