Highlanders v Reds
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@Bones said in Highlanders v Reds:
Didn't look at all like a JJ team. Zero cohesion, no direction. Felt like watching us under Mauger.
I think it’s going to be a slow process to get this team playing like a Jamie Joseph team. Real lack of game smarts
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Well that was well and truly our worst half of footy this season. Like I said above, a bad time to have it. That’s 2 home losses on the bounce before heading to a 2 weeks tour in Aus against the Brumbies and Force.
Really need to get some answers and bounce back because losing those 2 could cause heads to drop and all of a sudden the season starts to get away from us.
Really disappointing result, extremely disappointing second half. Just have to move on and learn from it, hopefully the young boys can stay in the fight and grow from losses like these.
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Hurley was bog average but the game was lost by the second half performance of the Highlanders props.
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Social media team can’t even post the correct score. Just an off day all round
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders v Reds:
@frugby said in Highlanders v Reds:
Destroyed in the forwards. It really is that simple.
Backs were also very poor. Just dumb decision making really. A lot to work on.
Backs were far from glorious, but they had zero clean ball to work off… in the 20 minute stretch before halftime when the forwards did their job we were all over them.
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Slug out it out for this season. Then two words. Better Recruitment.
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This is not all doom and gloom. I mean the big issue now for the Highlanders, the blueprint to beat us is so clear it isn’t funny. Attack the scrum and the breakdown.
Haig, Renton and JRK are going to have to make a huge impact… IMO pretty much have to win the next three.
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@frugby said in Highlanders v Reds:
Attack the scrum and the breakdown.
Hastie was so lackadaisical, it almost looked petulant at times. Zero urgency to get to or secure the ball, and then just a lot of ruck watching on defence. Lasaqa even stepped in to show him how quite a few times and he still didn't click on.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders v Reds:
the scrum wasn’t functioning
Maybe Howden is not a lock after all.
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@cgrant said in Highlanders v Reds:
@Canes4life said in Highlanders v Reds:
the scrum wasn’t functioning
Maybe Howden is not a lock after all.
Was Howden still on with Holland?
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@antipodean said in Highlanders v Reds:
Hurley was bog average but the game was lost by the second half performance of the Highlanders props.
Harley reinjured the quad, pretty badly too apparently
That might be his season -
Three points without reading the thread.
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Interesting how scrums are still relevant. Very test match like by the Reds. Found a weakness and just hammered at it. Former poster's assertion about THPs very relevant.
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Crikey Tangitau is quick.
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Same play ... back in the day I'm pretty certain you were not offside if the player behind didn't attempt to play at the ball. Not 100% if that applied to accidental offside. Has this changed, and/or am I mis-remembering?
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@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders v Reds:
Slug out it out for this season. Then two words. Better Recruitment.
The Recruited players the last 12 months I've personally mostly happy with Tele'a, JRK, Dunshea, Tavatavanawai, Robinson, Howden, Tangitau all add some value at this level. If anything It's been the like of Te hiwi. Arscott and Gilbert yesterday that fail to add impact. Joseph also seemingly doesn't trust other local guys Bell, Wingham & Michaels.
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Highlanders breakdown work is their key problem over last couple of weeks. Committing too many to one ruck, turned over the next, vulnerable to counter-rucking and ineffective cleanouts galore. Opposition teams seemed to have picked up on this as well. Not sure whether it's a personnel or coaching problem.
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Yup the breakdown is a big concern but I think that the lack of consistency in the loose forwards isn’t helping that at all. We are really missing Renton, especially in that department, he’s a dominant tackler and a strong carrier which always helps come ruck time. Renton also has that leadership we are lacking at the moment in the forward pack in my opinion, if he’s fit he needs to be straight back in. Play Withy at his best position which is 7 and TK(Haig when fit) at 6 and all of a sudden it’s a much better balance in the loose forwards.
This is no knock on Broughton or Lasaqa, they are just young guys still finding their feet at this level. Both are on the smaller side when it comes to size as well. There are a multitude of reasons of course, but after letting yesterday’s loss sink in, those to me are the obvious ones to me.
It was nice to see Umaga Jenson back and thought he played ok but again, the balance just didn’t quite seem there. Robinson and Jim have developed a nice 10 - 12 combo and I think we roll with that moving forward. Umaga Jenson can force his way in with good performances off the bench.
One thing I’d like to point out that hasn’t been mentioned, Taine Robinsons goal kicking was great which means there is no need to start Gilbert if you feel you’re better off with someone else at either 11,14,15.
On to next week now, huge ask against the Brumbies but a good chance to write the wrongs and get some momentum back. Had that Tangitau try at the start of the game counted and the ball not hit the line we could have a completely different mindset and outlook going into next week. Fine margins.
