Highlanders v Hurricanes

[foobaNZ]

@Canes4life will be best available squad this weekend I reckon.

[Canes4life]

@foobaNZ said in Hurricanes 2023:

@Canes4life will be best available squad this weekend I reckon.

Holland's historical selections makes me think they'll select this 23 from the players available:

1. Numia
2. Aumua
3. Lomax
4. Blackwell
5. Walker-Leawere
6. Flanders/Howden
7. Kirifi
8. Savea
9. Roigard
10. Morgan
11. Rayasi
12. Barrett
13. Proctor
14. Naholo (hopefully not Savea)
15. Moorby
16. Coles
17. Mafileo
18. Franks
19. Bird
20. Lakai
21. Booth
22. Godfrey
23. Sullivan

[foobaNZ]

@Canes4life yup agreed. I hope Iose is in the mix he had a stormer last week. Never lets the jersey down.

[Canes4life]

@foobaNZ said in Highlanders v Hurricanes:

@Canes4life yup agreed. I hope Iose is in the mix he had a stormer last week. Never lets the jersey down.

Just aslong as Iose and Kirifi aren't together in the loosies. I feel we lose a bit of grunt in the carry when both of them are on the park at the same time. They won’t be anyway with ASavea back.

[Dan54]

@Canes4life yep, only trouble is, I thought both Kirfi and Iose had bloody good games last week. Kirifi I though was everywhere, and worked his arse off, Iose also bloody good. Though take your point are similar style players!

[Canes4life]

@Dan54 said in Highlanders v Hurricanes:

@Canes4life yep, only trouble is, I thought both Kirfi and Iose had bloody good games last week. Kirifi I though was everywhere, and worked his arse off, Iose also bloody good. Though take your point are similar style players!

I still think our best trio is Flanders, Lakai and Savea. Has the best balance to it.

[Dan54]

@Canes4life yep mate, I find the Savea, Flanders with any of Kirifi, Lakai aor Iose is ok, but just how I see it. I think different balances just play slightly different, and not sure which is best . But certainly understand where you coming from.

[foobaNZ]

I don't mind Kirifi in there, he's not as prone to dumb penalties these days and is a menace over the ball.

Hard to leave Lakai out though but he is young. Can cover 8 & 7 from the pine.

All good options though! Lucky to have this group of loosies.

[Kiwiwomble]

TUJ going to be doing all the heavy lifting in the midfield with Paea and gregory on the bench

Forwards still strong, this is Ainsley's real shot to show what he can do

[Canes4life]

Hurricanes named to take on the Highlanders:
1 Xavier Numia
2 Dane Coles
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 James Blackwell
5 Isaia Walker-Leawere
6 Brayden Iose
7 Du’Plessis Kirifi
8 Ardie Savea ©
9 Cameron Roigard
10 Aidan Morgan
11 Salesi Rayasi
12 Jordie Barrett
13 Billy Proctor
14 Julian Savea
15 Josh Moorby

Reserves:
16 Asafo Aumua
17 Pouri Rakete-Stones
18 Owen Franks
19 TK Howden
20 Peter Lakai
21 Jamie Booth
22 Harry Godfrey
23 Peter Umaga-Jensen

Holland up to his usual antics. Brayden Iose isn’t a 6, that loose forward trio looks way too small. This is exactly the same starting 15 that played the Rebels in week 2.

How does Julian keep getting selected? Naholo has been on fire the last three weeks. I’d rather see Sullivan on the wing than the broken down bus aswell.

Peter Umaga-Jensen makes his return from injury.

Unavailable for selection: Ruben Love, Caleb Delany, Tyler Laubscher, Reed Prinsep, Justin Sangster, TJ Perenara, Jacob Devery, Devan Flanders, Brett Cameron.

[Grooter]

This post is deleted!

[Bovidae]

More details.

Not available due to injury: Vili Koroi (knee) Marty Banks (groin) Jona Nareki (foot) Jeff Thwaites (back) Freddie Burns (knee) Rhys Marshall (concussion) Josh Timu (concussion) Will Tucker (concussion) Jake Te Hiwi (ankle) Martin Bogado (quad) Connor Garden-Bachop (calf)

Note: Aaron Smith is unavailable for this game as he has returned to Feilding to support his family who are dealing with a family illness.

[Kiwiwomble]

cheers @Bovidae @FakatavaAllBlack , edited

[Duluth]

6/2 split for the Highlanders

Who's covering lock for the Canes? Howden?

[Winger]

@Duluth said in Highlanders v Hurricanes:

6/2 split for the Highlanders

Who's covering lock for the Canes? Howden?

Howden There is no one else. Coaches like shorter locks. I would prefer bird as cover

[Stargazer]

Media releases:

Highlanders to play Hurricanes on Easter Saturday | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership

The Highlanders return to Forsyth Barr for their seventh-round match against the high-flying Hurricanes who sit second on the table behind the undefeated Chiefs.

Hurricanes Named to Face Highlanders in Saturday’s Derby Clash

[Kiwiwomble]

@Duluth said in Highlanders v Hurricanes:

6/2 split for the Highlanders

Who's covering lock for the Canes? Howden?

yeah, i get a bit nervous, that can work when you have some game breaks on the bench, guys that can turn a tide, we have gregory, the upside, people like unt have shown they fit enough and has been better the last couple of games, standing deep, looking to pass to players at depth...we'll see

[Stargazer]

@Canes4life That injury list may not be complete. Sullivan looked injured after the game v Force (shoulder?). He said it himself in the post-match interview. Maybe he could have played if needed, but they're taking extra caution to give him time to heal 100%?

[Dan54]

@Stargazer said in Highlanders v Hurricanes:

@Canes4life That injury list may not be complete. Sullivan looked injured after the game v Force (shoulder?). He said it himself in the post-match interview. Maybe he could have played if needed, but they're taking extra caution to give him time to heal 100%?

I surprised he is fit, he was a passenger for lat 10 minutes on Sunday.

[Stargazer]

@Dan54 Yeah, he was in quite a bit of pain. I guess he didn't want to leave the field, knowing there was no replacement, especially when they went down to 14 men.