Highlanders 2023

[Bovidae]

Hurley was at 1st 5 for OBHS.

[Chris]

Garden-Bachop heading to the Landers to join his brother ?.

[Grooter]

@macmanus won't get much game time there for Otago tho since Ioane will start most weeks, nonetheless Finn Hurley has to be included in the 2023 highlanders squad!

[Grooter]

@Chris 🤢🤮

[Stargazer]

What about Hayden Parker? Not sure he's available, but he has left his Japanese club. No info yet about whether he's moving to another Top League One club.

Fletcher Smith? Same situation.

Maybe useful until the young ones are ready to take over?

[Bovidae]

Ajay Faleafaga is a better 1st 5 than Hurley.

[gt12]

@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2023:

Ajay Faleafaga is a better 1st 5 than Hurley.

It might be nice to have two young ones, but you’d expect them to invest in Ajay with plenty of time and opportunities

[Grooter]

Is it confirmed old man Banks won't be back? they say some Legends never die.. 😐

[SouthernMann]

@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:

What about Hayden Parker? Not sure he's available, but he has left his Japanese club. No info yet about whether he's moving to another Top League One club.

Fletcher Smith? Same situation.

Maybe useful until the young ones are ready to take over?

Hayden Parker is playing rlub rugby in North Otago. With Matt Faddes outside him at 12. The Otago set up is an interesting one at 10. You have Ioane, Gilbert, Miller, Koroi, Faleafaga, Hurley...

[macmanus]

Solomon Alaimalo re-signs with Southland…

[Kiwiwomble]

@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:

What about Hayden Parker? Not sure he's available, but he has left his Japanese club. No info yet about whether he's moving to another Top League One club.

Fletcher Smith? Same situation.

Maybe useful until the young ones are ready to take over?

I actually really rated fletcher smith …

[Grooter]

@macmanus less pressure & all that , good on him for not giving up on rugby completely, if he were to ever aspire to play super again it would probably be under his mentor Dale mcleod.

[Bones]

@Stargazer I'd take Parker in a heartbeat, his last season for us was excellent.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:

@Stargazer I'd take Parker in a heartbeat, his last season for us was excellent.

Also a bit of a fan of Parker but I’d be afraid of a banks situation…was good but not sure being overseas will have made him better

[Grooter]

Robert van Royen has a story on wing / Midfielder Punivai, gist of he won't be back in terms of the highlanders, poor guys been dealing with long covid

[Stargazer]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300625179/how-long-covid-sidelined-highlanders-utility-ngane-punivai-indefinitely

[Stargazer]

@FakatavaAllBlack It would be really sad if that means the end of his (Super Rugby) career. With long-covid it can take a very long time to get back to full health.

If he can't play NPC, I can't see him get picked up by any franchise or a team overseas. All he can then hope for is to get back to full fitness and hope for an injury cover spot somewhere next season.

[Grooter]

Word on the street Chris Boyd is going to be Director of Rugby for the Highlanders

[SouthernMann]

@FakatavaAllBlack said in Highlanders 2023:

Word on the street Chris Boyd is going to be Director of Rugby for the Highlanders

Would be a strong appointment, to manage the wider rugby management of the organisation. The key question remains how do the Highlanders recruit the players to be competitive and keep the best players in their catchment from leaving.

Josh Moorby
George Bell
Christian Lio-Willie
Noah Hotham;

Should all be stripping for the Highlanders next year, they will all be playing for other franchises, the bulk for the Crusaders.

[Kiwiwomble]

kind of cool, stronger connections to Japanese rugby is a good idea i believe

https://fb.watch/epSGCh5fuY/