Highlanders promote Christie

Editor

Highlanders loose forward Shane Christie will be Ben Smith's co-captain during the 2016 Super Rugby campaign.

Christie will take over the responsibility of assisting Smith next term, after Nasi Manu parted ways with the New Zealand franchise at the end of the last campaign. Manu is now plying his trade in the Northern Hemisphere with Edinburgh.

Smith was a part of the leadership unit that led the Highlanders to the Super Rugby title earlier this year.

30-year-old Tasman forward Christie missed the entire Super Rugby regular season in 2015 because of a hamstring injury before making belated bench appearances during the knockout phase.