Highlanders 2025
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Four Highlanders in the top 65 players in New Zealand... certainly a reality check for all the excitement - that said, hell of a motivating tool when the players walk in on Day One.
Heading into 2014, we had A & B Smith as ABs. I reckon if there was an XV squad I'm honestly not sure we would have had any.
Nothing to lose, everything to prove, I can't wait.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
whats happened to fakatava?
Nothing. He is clearly rated 6th in the pecking order? Is that how i'd rate it? No, but I can almost guarantee they think he has a poor kicking game.
Next year I think is basically his final tilt at it - as I say have heard he has penned a new contract past 2025, but that could be bullshit, because the story that went with it seemed hilariously untrue, but I really just chuck everything I hear in here because if nothing else it sparks good debate!
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby thats kind of what i meant, was kind of tapped up as one of the leader in the next generation, learnt under the master etc...and now we're talking about how he's got one more shot to get back in contention
I think this is a case of coach's preference. Personally I'd have him in the ABs as the number three, but they don't rate him. His ACL injury undoubtedly derailed him, but IMO he has shown more than enough to be in a squad like this. The 29 YO Finlay Christie is tried and failed at test level.
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Man, I missed Fakatava not being in the squad completely. Should be there in my opinion as he is quick to the ruck and quick to clear, plus offers a point of difference in his close running and offloading game. Not a great super season for him, but he was still close to the top in several stats.
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NZ is blessed with a lot of guys of similar ability/potential at halfback at the moment.
I'd say all of Fakatava, Christie, Funaki and Hotham are in a pretty similar boat (different skills but similar level overall), and then Ratima and Roigard are the two top dogs. Perenara's off so there's lots to play for next year.
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You saw the best and worst of Fakatava in the Wellington-HB game. Near the goal-line he ignores an overlap to his right and attempts to score the try himself. HB did score a few phases later but it highlight's that Fakatava often tries to be too individualistic.
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As I posted across in the AB XV thread incase anyone misses it, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens has undergone neck surgery after sustaining a broken neck on the weekend and is to undergo another surgery later in the week. Hope that it’s not career threatening and he can recover to full health. Feel for the guy, could explain why he wasn’t named in the AB XV.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
As I posted across in the AB XV thread incase anyone misses it, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens has undergone neck surgery after sustaining a broken neck on the weekend and is to undergo another surgery later in the week. Hope that it’s not career threatening and he can recover to full health. Feel for the guy, could explain why he wasn’t named in the AB XV.
Ohh wow poor bugger I hope he recovers well.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
As I posted across in the AB XV thread incase anyone misses it, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens has undergone neck surgery after sustaining a broken neck on the weekend and is to undergo another surgery later in the week. Hope that it’s not career threatening and he can recover to full health. Feel for the guy, could explain why he wasn’t named in the AB XV.
ok, i had missed that, thanks for the info, the explains a lot
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He rook that really bad hit in the back of the neck/ head from Shalfoon just before half time.
More amazing/ concerning thing is, the fact he came back on for a small patch after half time, after passing his H.I.A
Gutted for the lad. Hope he recovers well and we get to see him back in a landers and taranaki jersey in the future.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
I'm crossing my fingers to say that as he was able to continue it is hopefully only a minor issue which could mean 6-8 weeks. Even if it is 2-3 months with full recovery that is sweet... but gee surely Shalfoon has been cited?
Haven't seen anything about a citing
It was an unusual challenge. JRK jumps high to take the ball and finishes on the ground. Shalfoon arrives a moment later and is just falling to the ground for no reason with his shoulder braced for impact
It's hard to see what he was trying to do other than go for an opportunistic cheap shot.
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gutted for JRK had been playing some real quality rugby, in terms of a Landers perspective all 3 of the Fijian outside are injured. so depending on recovery time frames I think outsides such as Michael Manson, Jack Gray & Issac Hutchinson would be candidates to be injury cover. 2 of them are obviously possibly chances to be signed up the road.
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Obviously, this is largely a moot point as the season is still five months away, but if the Highlanders were to play tomorrow, our only fit midfielders and outside backs would be Tele'a, J Whaanga, Tangitau, Hurley...
Gilbert, Te Hiwi, Umaga-Jensen, M Whaanga, Nareki, JRK, Tavatavanawai and Lowe are all injured.
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@frugby Umaga Jenson played last weekend, did he get injured again? Ffs if so.
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
Manson:
He fielded a couple of calls about Super Rugby but is back to United States, where he will line up for Utah in Major League Rugby, where he was the competition’s top try scorer with 14 last year.
This is one of the stumbling blocks NZ Rugby is facing with MLR. A good number of players at the level under Super Rugby are not available for Super Rugby because they've got multi-year contracts in the US. Believe the Highlanders encountered this with Henry Bell last year as well. This group of players can go well in the NPC, but unavailable for the next Super season.
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