Highlanders v Crusaders
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Highlanders
1 Aki Seiuli
2 Liam Coltman
3 Siate Tokolahi
4 Jackson Hemopo
5 Tom Franklin
6 Liam Squire
7 Dillon Hunt
8 Luke Whitelock
9 Aaron Smith
10 Lima Sopoaga
11 Tevita Li
12 Teihorangi Walden
13 Rob Thompson
14 Waisake Naholo
15 Ben Smith (cc)Reserves:
16 Ash Dixon (cc), 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Kalolo Tulioma, 19 Shannon Frizell, 20 Elliot Dixon, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Fletcher Smith, 23 Matt FaddesNot Available: Thomas Umaga-Jensen (shoulder), James Lentjes (shoulder), Richard Buckman (neck), Dan Pryor (hamstring)
http://thehighlanders.co.nz/news/887-highlanders-name-team-for-match-against-the-crusaders
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Crusaders
1 Wyatt Crockett
2 Codie Taylor
3 Michael Alaalatoa
4 Scott Barrett
5 Sam Whitelock (C)
6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
7 Matt Todd (VC)
8 Jordan Taufua
9 Mitchell Drummond
10 Mitchell Hunt
11 George Bridge
12 Tim Bateman
13 Jack Goodhue
14 Seta Tamanivalu
15 David HaviliReserves
16 Ben Funnell
17 Chris King
18 Oliver Jager
19 Luke Romano
20 Billy Harmon
21 Bryn Hall
22 Mike Delany
23 Manasa Mataele -
@antipodean said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@cyclops Like most good fullbacks?
Exactly! Hopefully Havili has shed the utility tag for good now.
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Good news that we've got Sam Whitelock.
I read he missed the ABs camp, along with Crotty, so was fearing the worst.
Main thing that concerns me is a bit of lack of size in our backs, with Drummond, Hunt, Bateman, Bridge and Havili. Wonder whether this might have been a good game to start Mataele instead of Bridge?
Drummond gets a turn starting.
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@nepia said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@akan004 said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Lomax can't even make the 23. Must be now wondering if the move to NZ was a smart option.
I'm sure he was under no illusions he'd be starting straight away.
Having just read Hammet's comments on why the chose to demote Lomax, it sort of makes sense and I take my comment back. They basically want to give him some decent game time and therefore feel he will be better off playing for the B team.
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@chris-b said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Good news that we've got Sam Whitelock.
I read he missed the ABs camp, along with Crotty, so was fearing the worst.
Main thing that concerns me is a bit of lack of size in our backs, with Drummond, Hunt, Bateman, Bridge and Havili. Wonder whether this might have been a good game to start Mataele instead of Bridge?
Drummond gets a turn starting.
Always gonna be an issue with Fruean and Naholo leaving the franchise
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@chris-b said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Good news that we've got Sam Whitelock.
I read he missed the ABs camp, along with Crotty, so was fearing the worst.
Main thing that concerns me is a bit of lack of size in our backs, with Drummond, Hunt, Bateman, Bridge and Havili. Wonder whether this might have been a good game to start Mataele instead of Bridge?
Drummond gets a turn starting.
glad that drummond is starting, we looked a lot better when he came on last week
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@mn5 said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@chris-b said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Good news that we've got Sam Whitelock.
I read he missed the ABs camp, along with Crotty, so was fearing the worst.
Main thing that concerns me is a bit of lack of size in our backs, with Drummond, Hunt, Bateman, Bridge and Havili. Wonder whether this might have been a good game to start Mataele instead of Bridge?
Drummond gets a turn starting.
Always gonna be an issue with Fruean and Naholo leaving the franchise
You should probably refrain from commenting on the rugby...
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@taniwharugby Harsh. @MN5 has only one letter wrong.
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@taniwharugby said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@mn5 said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@chris-b said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Good news that we've got Sam Whitelock.
I read he missed the ABs camp, along with Crotty, so was fearing the worst.
Main thing that concerns me is a bit of lack of size in our backs, with Drummond, Hunt, Bateman, Bridge and Havili. Wonder whether this might have been a good game to start Mataele instead of Bridge?
Drummond gets a turn starting.
Always gonna be an issue with Fruean and Naholo leaving the franchise
You should probably refrain from commenting on the rugby...
I still do better than many commentators who actually get paid.
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@stargazer I bet in his head he was seeing Marika Vunibaka as he typed it
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@sammyc said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@chris-b said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Good news that we've got Sam Whitelock.
I read he missed the ABs camp, along with Crotty, so was fearing the worst.
Main thing that concerns me is a bit of lack of size in our backs, with Drummond, Hunt, Bateman, Bridge and Havili. Wonder whether this might have been a good game to start Mataele instead of Bridge?
Drummond gets a turn starting.
glad that drummond is starting, we looked a lot better when he came on last week
Not a lot between Drummond and Hall, but I tend to generally think Mitch is more solid. However, seems like Razor and his team have a preference for Bryn.
I'm interested to see who the AB selectors choose in a couple of months - both of these two must be in the frame along with Weber and, just maybe, Pulu.
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@taniwharugby said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@stargazer I bet in his head he was seeing Marika Vunibaka as he typed it
Luke Erenevula more like