Highlanders 2023
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Crucial said in Highlanders 2023:
@FakatavaAllBlack said in Highlanders 2023:
And you know what good on James Arscott for achieving his dream of making the Highlanders, a true Timaru success story🙂
Should be some big thanks to Hammington for his service as well. This guy basically promoted himself through dedication. Was never on 'the radar' for franchises looking for star players but has never let the Landers down.
Used to drive himself from Welly to Hamilton and train with the Chiefs on the back of knowing Rennie and got a handful of minutes in some games due to injury. IIRC was also originally a stopgap at the Landers.
Glad to see that he may get some coin in Japan.
Far more a 'battler' than a 'journeyman'definitely, he gets quite a bit of shit but i dont think he's ever come on and lost the game, its a thankless job coming off the bench in a loosing team and getting blamed for not winning it
He's had to play a bigger role at times as well and never shat the bed
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Confirmed:
Young Halfback Confirmed for Highlanders | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership
At just 21, James Arscott has realised a dream he has held since he was as a child. The talented scrum half was today announced as a halfback in the 2023 Highlanders squad.
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“For me becoming a Highlander has been a dream of mine since I was four years old and pulled on my first pair of boots for Timaru Celtic. Being an ex-Otago Boys High pupil, coming through the Otago Academy, Highlanders High Performance system and playing for my Club Green Island gives me a deep appreciation for this region and the people in it. It really does mean everything to me”.
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@Higgins said in Highlanders 2023:
@Crucial said in Highlanders 2023:
He's had to play a bigger role at times as well and never shat the bed
Hang on, he played for the 'Poo.
He's from Upper Hutt, @Crucial is bound to look up to his posh neighbours from his Snakes Gulley perch.
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:
@Higgins said in Highlanders 2023:
@Crucial said in Highlanders 2023:
He's had to play a bigger role at times as well and never shat the bed
Hang on, he played for the 'Poo.
He's from Upper Hutt, @Crucial is bound to look up to his posh neighbours from his Snakes Gulley perch.
IIRC he was a cocky little shite at school. A couple of years ahead of my boy but they played a club game together.
Snakes Gully? Is that how you lot from the Lower part of the Hutt talk of your own? I’m on the good side of the border.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@SouthernMann lets not forget more arguably Sir Richie!
There is a good article on Sam Harding in the ODT this morning. Which was clear at the time Otago thought it was getting the better part of the deal. Harding was rated above McCaw sadly.
Harding one-test All Black, ex-All Black at 21
It was 20 years ago today ... that an Otago flanker had a chance to play. Sports editor Hayden Meikle revisits the case of a forgotten man, and...
i wonder if we ever tried to get Richie back to otago, im sure the saders would have thrown everything at him to keep him but i wonder if there were ever any conversations
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@macmanus said in Highlanders 2023:
“For me becoming a Highlander has been a dream of mine since I was four years old and pulled on my first pair of boots for Timaru Celtic. Being an ex-Otago Boys High pupil, coming through the Otago Academy, Highlanders High Performance system and playing for my Club Green Island gives me a deep appreciation for this region and the people in it. It really does mean everything to me”.
and i think his father died of cancer when he was as high school . his success is for his father
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@Crucial said in Highlanders 2023:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:
@Crucial you're a Vegas local, don't pretend you don't know the reference.
Honestly don’t. Assumed Stokes Valley?
Have lived in the Hutt Valley for three years. Only driven through Stokes Valley once. Certainly seems like some great kiwis have come from the suburb though. I know one thing for sure, some top footy players come from the Hutt Valley and they are more than welcome down at the Highlanders. Me personally, I'll stick to my lower end of Lower Hutt
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@macmanus said in Highlanders 2023:
“For me becoming a Highlander has been a dream of mine since I was four years old and pulled on my first pair of boots for Timaru Celtic. Being an ex-Otago Boys High pupil, coming through the Otago Academy, Highlanders High Performance system and playing for my Club Green Island gives me a deep appreciation for this region and the people in it. It really does mean everything to me”.
One thing that jumps out here is that young players dream of playing for the Super teams - NPC being all that is for old fucks (like me) who tend to post on here (even though I can't give a piss about Waikato, go Chiefs!).
It might be something to consider as some on here don't consider Super sides to have any history.
It's all of his life and his dream...
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@gt12 Not sure that's the case. This was an interview or request for a comment related to his Highlanders' signing. Maybe if they'd asked him for a comment when he first signed with Otago, he'd have said the same thing. I still hear young kids in the Bay say they want to become a Magpie.
Edit: Of course, it may be different for provinces where a SR franchise is based. The smaller provinces don't have that base, so kids may focus more on their NPC team, because they never get to see their SR teams live.
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He's 21, spent the last few years of school in Dunedin. He would have grown up watching golden era Highlanders rugby, Smith's, Naholo, Fekitoa, Manu etc.
That's the stage he would have wanted. Same with the other kids out there.
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@gt12 said in Highlanders 2023:
@macmanus said in Highlanders 2023:
“For me becoming a Highlander has been a dream of mine since I was four years old and pulled on my first pair of boots for Timaru Celtic. Being an ex-Otago Boys High pupil, coming through the Otago Academy, Highlanders High Performance system and playing for my Club Green Island gives me a deep appreciation for this region and the people in it. It really does mean everything to me”.
One thing that jumps out here is that young players dream of playing for the Super teams - NPC being all that is for old fucks (like me) who tend to post on here (even though I can't give a piss about Waikato, go Chiefs!).
It might be something to consider as some on here don't consider Super sides to have any history.
It's all of his life and his dream...
even if we concede that as the case, and im not sure it is, thats all down to the marketing...and thats something that can be changed, i think they really want to be playing against and with the best players....and at the moment thats super rugby
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The idea of history and Super teams is all relative.
Sure if you are in your 40s or 50s it may feel like there is no history in Super Rugby.
But if you are 20 or 21, the competition has been running for longer than you have been alive.
You attach your childhood heroes to Super teams. You don't remember Dan Carter playing for Canterbury, he played for the Crusaders, same with all the players you see. They play 100+ games for their franchises and if they are good enough play for the All Blacks. Most top line players might only play half a dozen provincial games at their peak. Provincial rugby is a stepping stone, it isn't a goal. You aren't going to get rich or achieve your goals playing for Southland.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
The idea of history and Super teams is all relative.
Sure if you are in your 40s or 50s it may feel like there is no history in Super Rugby.
But if you are 20 or 21, the competition has been running for longer than you have been alive.
You attach your childhood heroes to Super teams. You don't remember Dan Carter playing for Canterbury, he played for the Crusaders, same with all the players you see. They play 100+ games for their franchises and if they are good enough play for the All Blacks. Most top line players might only play half a dozen provincial games at their peak. Provincial rugby is a stepping stone, it isn't a goal. You aren't going to get rich or achieve your goals playing for Southland.
Yep totally agree thats how the young players look at it,NPC is just a way to get to Super Rugby, unless you get into the Super teams academies straight from school.
That sets the standards for the Rugby fans too they see that as well, you become an AB from Super Rugby not normally NPC. -
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