Highlanders v Force
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Force:
- Holland back
- Dunshea to debut
- Same loose trio as last week
- Third 10 in three weeks, Patchell back after two weeks of club footy at fullback
- CGB at 11
- Te Hiwi at 12, Gilbert dropped or rested
- Tucker back on bench
- Renton back on bench
- Millar retained. No Faleafaga
- Bogado on the bench
Seems like we are moving the deck chairs around a bit
Harsh to say we're moving the deck chairs I think. A combo of rectifying past mistakes, and bringing back those who are fit. This is far closer to what everyone said was our best team at the start of the year.
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Highlanders v Western Force – 7:05pm, Saturday 27th April, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Ethan de Groot
Henry Bell
Saula Ma’u
Mitch Dunshea
Fabian Holland
Oliver Haig
Sean Withy
Billy Harmon (C)
Folau Fakatava
Rhys Patchell
Connor Garden-Bachop
Jake Te Hiwi
Tanielu Tele’a
Timoci Tavatavanawai
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
RESERVESJack Taylor
Daniel Lienert-Brown
Jermaine Ainsley
Will Tucker
Hugh Renton
James Arscott
Cameron Millar
Martín BogadoInjured/unavailable: Jonah Lowe (knee), Jona Nareki (hamstring)
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@Kiwiwomble I said closer - with the likes of Holland, Dunshea, Renton, Ainsley, Patchell and Taylor all being back in the mix.
Gilbert's form disappointing hence he has been left out. Pleased to see Te Hiwi get a run.
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Marley Pearce, Tom Horton, Santiago Medrano, Sam Carter, Izack Rodda, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Reed Prinsep, Nic White (c), Ben Donaldson, Chase Tiatia, Hamish Stewart, Sam Spink, Bayley Kuenzle, Kurtley Beale
RESERVES: Feleti Kaitu’u, Josh Bartlett, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Jeremy Williams, Michael Wells, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, Henry O’Donnell
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@frugby said in Highlanders v Force:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Force:
- Holland back
- Dunshea to debut
- Same loose trio as last week
- Third 10 in three weeks, Patchell back after two weeks of club footy at fullback
- CGB at 11
- Te Hiwi at 12, Gilbert dropped or rested
- Tucker back on bench
- Renton back on bench
- Millar retained. No Faleafaga
- Bogado on the bench
Seems like we are moving the deck chairs around a bit
Harsh to say we're moving the deck chairs I think. A combo of rectifying past mistakes, and bringing back those who are fit. This is far closer to what everyone said was our best team at the start of the year.
- Our best seven is now our no8
- The hooker rotation continues
- Probably our best locking duo. But, jeez we have seen some names roll through.
- Patchell comes off playing club footy at fullback to be back at 10. Dropping Faleafaga completely. Millar looked tits.
- Te Hiwi has been unsighted and now slips straight into the starting team, for our vice-captain who was rubbish on the weekend.
- Everyone thought CGB was probably on the slippery slope out the door and now he is a starting winger.
I'm generally pretty positive about the franchise. Have to be, otherwise it is sad. But, we have to be honest, this is full on pressing the panic button.
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I think overall the squad selections won’t be pleasing many people but I’m going to try and look at this positively.
Gilbert out of form, played every game and I’m pretty sure every minute so dropping him for this game is a good thing.
Dunshea, Tucker, Renton, Ainsley and Holland all returning from injury makes this forward pack so much stronger instantly. Really looking forward to seeing what Dunshea can bring to us, he’s been a really solid player for Canterbury and the Crusaders throughout his career so brings in hard nosed grunt and great experience.
We’ve kept the core team with a few adjustments, so far this season we can fault the coaches on a lot of things but we can’t fault the coaches for not trying here with this team selection.
Also, really glad to see Patchell back at 10, hope those couple weeks at club were good for him. Again, a little confused of the treatment of Faleafaga, thought he may have done enough to be on the bench for this one but hopefully he’s going to get some good club minutes.
Looking forward to the game and hopefully getting a win, no matter how ugly it may be!
Go the landers!
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my biggest problem with the team currently as they dont look like they know each other names...let alone playing cohesively....and miles off reading each others minds territory...so so many changes doesn't excite me if im honest, yes gilbert has been out of form....but having different people inside and outside him every game has too have added to that
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this kind of feels like we're in the fozzie "hope to stumble onto something that works territory"
@SouthernMann do you know which club Patchell playes for? who is the 10 they wouldnt shuffle around so he could concentrate on 10...maybe we should sign that guy?
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Force:
@frugby said in Highlanders v Force:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Force:
- Holland back
- Dunshea to debut
- Same loose trio as last week
- Third 10 in three weeks, Patchell back after two weeks of club footy at fullback
- CGB at 11
- Te Hiwi at 12, Gilbert dropped or rested
- Tucker back on bench
- Renton back on bench
- Millar retained. No Faleafaga
- Bogado on the bench
Seems like we are moving the deck chairs around a bit
Harsh to say we're moving the deck chairs I think. A combo of rectifying past mistakes, and bringing back those who are fit. This is far closer to what everyone said was our best team at the start of the year.
- Our best seven is now our no8
- Sure, but also Renton will come back in from injury - and all things considered, I'd argue that last week was the best all-round loose forward trio performance from us this season
- The hooker rotation continues
- Does it though? Bell has clearly been the best, and has started 7/9. Jackson rightly dropped after a poor showing last week.
- Probably our best locking duo. But, jeez we have seen some names roll through.
- Patchell comes off playing club footy at fullback to be back at 10. Dropping Faleafaga completely. Millar looked tits.
- Maybe just maybe it was a bit kneejerk to drop Patchell? His performance was almost so bad that perhaps the coaches should have had the foresight to right it off. As I say, going back to what worked at the start of the year. Faleafaga wasn't very good last week either, so I can see the merit in going Millar
- Te Hiwi has been unsighted and now slips straight into the starting team, for our vice-captain who was rubbish on the weekend.
- I don't really see how this is kneejerk or a negative? Gilbert has been poor for a few weeks so gets a rest/is dropped.
- Everyone thought CGB was probably on the slippery slope out the door and now he is a starting winger.
- Sure, I'd have gone Bogado, but in fairness Nareki and Lowe are both injured.
I think you're being dragged down by all the negativity around the performances, and I can't blame you for that!
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Force:
my biggest problem with the team currently as they dont look like they know each other names...let alone playing cohesively....and miles off reading each others minds territory...so so many changes doesn't excite me if im honest, yes gilbert has been out of form....but having different people inside and outside him every game has too have added to that
As a former 12, I can 110% confirm that having different 10s every single week has a bigger impact than you would think.
1 week you’re outside a former Welsh international, the next you’re beside a 21 year old on debut, the next you’re outside a 10 who’s been battling with the 21 year old for playing time. All of a sudden your role as a 12 changes significantly. Once you factor in Teleas little suspension and JRK getting dropped for that 1 game, it’s no surprise Gilbert hasn’t looked like himself this season.
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If you'd asked most people what the strongest side was coming into this season, I'd suggest it would be close to this:
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de Groot
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Bell
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Ainsley
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Dunshea
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Holland
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Haig
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Harmon
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Renton
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Fakatava
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Patchell
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Nareki
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Gilbert
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Tele'a
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Tavatavanawai
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Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
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Taylor
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Lienert-Brown
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Ma'u
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Parkinson
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Withy
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Arscott
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Millar
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Timu
This week, the only ones missing from that list are Nareki (injured), Gilbert and Parkinson (Dropped for poor form), Timu (Perenially injured and a fringe pick in 23 anyway). We played good rugby with these ideas through pre-season and the first three rounds. I think they've taken a step back, and gone back to the initial plans - before we got a few injuries and things went wrong.
To me at least, this looks like far more of a plan than the rabble in Australia, where de Groot was benched to protect Wingham, Bell was dropped for no reason, and Fakatava and Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens were left out.
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Referee: Dan Waenga
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams, Mike Winter
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My hopes for tonight. We don't lose. Have some attacking flair. A good Dunshea and Holland combination. Haig continues to improve. Te Hiwi shows his potential at 12. JRK regains his early season form. Millar proves me wrong and doesn't play poorly when he gets on.
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Crowd is reflective of our recent performances
Williams returns for Force trip to face Highlanders
