Highlanders 2022
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@fakatavafuture said in Highlanders 2022:
@tim in terms of attracting talent i remember a specific scenario where Tony brown informed journo Paul of the stuff site that he was very keen on Kini Naholo as the ideal replacement for Nareki and the next thing you know he's snapped up by the crusadersš
Where he gets approximately fuck-all game time.
I know heās young, but heās miles away from the bench and would probably be starting at the landers. Surprising choice to me, unless the landers didnāt really try.
This is beyond Kini, who is miles and miles away from the ABs, but I really hope that the AB coaches ignore players who canāt demand a start at their franchise.
Want to get an AB cap? Be the best at your franchise or move.
If they did that, so think weād not see young players lining up to be behind established All Blacks.
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@gt12 said in Highlanders 2022:
This is beyond Kini, who is miles and miles away from the ABs, but I really hope that the AB coaches ignore players who canāt demand a start at their franchise.
Want to get an AB cap? Be the best at your franchise or move.
If they did that, so think weād not see young players lining up to be behind established All Blacks.
Sorry, but that's a ridiculous suggestion. Competition is healthy and if players have to push each other for a starting spot, that is only good for them. And for upcoming talent it can only be good to be able to learn from those established ABs.
Also, some players, who do not always start at their franchise, are still better players than players in the same position at another franchise. It would be really poor ABs selection policy if they selected a player from another franchise instead of a better player who is not a regular starter. Example: they could only select Asafo Aumua OR Dane Coles, but not both. They would have to select Liam Coltman or Kurt Eklund instead. In the very near future, they could not select Fakatava until they drop Aaron Smith or Fakatava leaves the Highlanders.
Players will eventually leave on their own accord if they don't get enough game time or starts (case in point: several ex-Crusaders at the Highlanders, or many ex-Canes spread around the franchises). It doesn't always serve them well (case in point: several ex-Crusaders at the Highlanders); sometimes it does (e.g., several players who have left the Canes).
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Iām happy to accept itās a bit ridiculous, but if the decision is a 50/50, I would hope that the decision goes to the guy who starts.
Right now, that would put Aumua is a situation where he needs to move or wait for Coles to retire (go overseas). Either of them are third choice. Taukeiāaho is a good example of where Aumua should be if he were consistently starting at the level below.
Fakatava is a great example of your point but heās probably dropped down too - Christie moved, got game time, and is now well ahead (I understand Fakatava was injured but he's probably fourth in line right now assuming they don't go back to Perenara).
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@bones said in Highlanders 2022:
@gt12 definitely see your point, but it's pretty harsh to say to a bloody good rugby player that he should move - what if he likes living where he lives?
I know you're really just saying we should only select Crusaders that start
Absolutely fair comment, and I'm glad you got my real point
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@tim said in Highlanders 2022:
Maybe these coaches who spend half their time coaching a team overseas are a bad idea?
You would think that Brown has a reasonable idea of what he wants from a 1st 5. Cameron Millar has only just started playing for Otago so is still a long way from SR level. D'Angelo Leuila would have been available if McClutchie had already signed for MP. He has NPC and some international experience.
The problem was that Hunt is the guaranteed starter (and vice-captain) so it would be hard to convince an outsider to go there when they believe they have little chance of playing.
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Injury updates in this article:
The Highlanders are preparing for Fridayās clash against Moana Pasifika with almost a full deck of cards, with James Lentjes and Jermaine Ainsley available after missing the loss to the Crusaders, while All Black Shannon Frizell will also suit up despite his heavy workload this year.
āThere is a plan in place for him that Brownie [Tony Brown] has organised with the All Blacks coaches, but this week he is going to be available,ā Christie said.
Frizellās rest might coincide with the much-awaited return of Billy Harmon. Christie said the No 7 had overcome his shoulder injury and was technically available to play. However, a bout of Covid-19 had set him back a week.
Instead, the home game against the Hurricanes on Saturday week could be the right time for Harmonās first game of the campaign.
Christie also said that classy winger Denny Solomona ā who was impressive off the bench against the Crusaders ā was probably a week or two away from regaining full match sharpness.
āOnce he gets his body right and he's at full fitness I think he's going to be a huge weapon for us,ā Christie said of the 28-year-old.
āHe was in quarantine for three weeks [when he returned to Aotearoa from England], Heās been training really hard for the last month.
āHe lost 8kg in the first three weeks he was here, and he might just have a little bit more weight to lose and then try to get his rugby fitness right.ā -
@stargazer good on Ash for being very instrumental to Folau, even helping him secure full time super contractšFolau saying how canes wanted him for pre season back in 2019 makes me think of the same thing transpiring years earlier with Lima, Nug
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Who gets on?
I've got Goldie and the two Smiths. Still deciding on who gets the last spot.
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@taniwharugby I'm leaning towards him.
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@dice said in Highlanders 2022:
Who gets on?
I've got Goldie and the two Smiths. Still deciding on who gets the last spot.
The two Smiths pick themselves. I'd chuck in Tony Brown for impact on and off the field. The lost spot, I'd have as a toss up between Kronfeld and Wilson. Leaning towards Kronfeld, just to have a forward in there.
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@crucial said in Highlanders 2022:
Did you see the Breakdown this week? Quiz question was who has played over a 100 for his province, a hundred for his franchise and 50 for the ABs.
It was Cowan.
No one else has achieved that.Not quite as much, but "Never was, but should have been an All Black" Ash Dixon has pretty impressive stats, too.
134 NPC games, of which 111 for Hawke's Bay
115 Super Rugby games, of which 100 for the Highlanders (possibly more Highlanders games, not sure about that number)
19 MÄori All Blacks
The Mount Rushmore of Highlanders
