Super Rugby News
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Rumours are still out there
Rugby News
17 hrs ·
Crusaders Duo in Highlanders Sights.
The Pulse Energy Highlanders will be on the lookout for a number of new players next year with several key departures confirmed.
Ben Smith, Matt Faddes, Waisake Naholo, Richard Buckman Marty Banks, Liam Squire, Luke Whitelock, Elliot Dixon Jackson Hemopo, and Tyrell Lomax are all leaving at the end of 2019.
Two big names have been rumoured to be in the sights of the Highlanders with Crusaders and Ta$man duo Will Jordan and Mitchell Hunt set to sign.
If Jordan does sign he will link up with his New Zealand under 20 teammate Josh McKay who has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Forsyth Barr till the end of the 2020 season
This would be a massive boost for coach Aaron Mauger who also welcomes back Otago legend Tony Brown to the coaching ranks from 2020.
Two other names who are rumoured to have signed are All Black Sevens flyers Jona Nareki and Scott Gregory.
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@Chris Doubtless the same rumour.
The concerning thing is that it makes quite a lot of sense from Jordan's perspective to go to the Highlanders.
He doubtless wants to play fullback and the field is pretty much wide open at the Highlanders for him to be number 1 there, whereas at the Crusaders he's going to get shuffled between fullback, wing and the bench - with no guarantee that he's going to take the no. 1 slot off Havili any time soon - and presumably, the Highlanders are going to have more cash to throw at him.
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@Chris-B Makes perfect sense to me, Jordon heading to the Landers he would be the starting fullback..
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@Steven-Harris where does that leave McKay though? Surely he would have been eyeing that Fullback jersey.
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@Canes4life I see McKay more as Winger/fullback,i am sure he will one of those vacated wing positions.
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Am I wrong, or was he also at some point a first five? He looks pretty slight for a winger, very much Dmac style
or have I got the wrong guy?
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Will Jordan will not be going to the Highlanders. 2020 will be the least experienced Highlanders team in well over a decade. There will be an influx of players that no other franchise would have taken on, and guys who are no better the squad players will be thrust into starting roles well before they're ready.
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@SouthernMann Inside Knowledge ?? if so it may be a long season for the Highlanders.
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@gt12 can’t recall him running around in the 10 jersey..but someone on the forum might know
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@Steven-Harris he was talked about as an up and coming 10 in Canterbury, but yeah don't remember actually seeing him play there.
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Still stoked his injury wasn't serious.
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@Steven-Harris said in Super Rugby News:
@gt12 can’t recall him running around in the 10 jersey..but someone on the forum might know
He played first five for CBHS and pretty sure he played first five for NZ Secondary Schools. I don't recall him playing there since he left school - not at provincial level anyway.
Edit: google tells me I'm right - about the first bit anyway.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11513291
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@Chris-B said in Super Rugby News:
@Steven-Harris said in Super Rugby News:
@gt12 can’t recall him running around in the 10 jersey..but someone on the forum might know
He played first five for CBHS and pretty sure he played first five for NZ Secondary Schools. I don't recall him playing there since he left school - not at provincial level anyway.
Josh McKay played fullback in the NZ School games against Samoa Schools and Australia Schools, and - indeed - first five-eighth in the NZ Schools game against Australia Barbarians Schools.
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Is Samisoni Taukei'aho contracted to the Chiefs for 2020 ,(He should be)He has impressed me every time he has had a run for the Chiefs.He would be a great impact hooker off the bench ,more impact than Polwart in my opinion.If he isn't contracted he wouldn't be the worst pickup for The Blues or Highlanders.
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@Chris Tony Hanks the recruitment manager for the Blues will be thinking you make too much sense..so it probably won’t happen..like how you think though..!
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@Steven-Harris Maybe I need his Job
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@KiwiMurph That's about right, anything more would have been harsh. Nice and fresh to rip into the Crusaders.
Prinsep to the blindside and Evans to no 8.
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