
Coach Stephen Larkham says he had to protect Charlie Cale after making a shock decision to take the star back-rower off early in the ACT Brumbies' 14-10 victory over the Highlanders.
Cale, the Brumbies' top try-scorer, left the field just 27 minutes into the Super Rugby Pacific clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday.