Clan v Tahs
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Highlanders
1 Ayden Johnstone
2 Liam Coltman
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 Jackson Hemopo
5 Tom Franklin
6 Liam Squire
7 James Lentjes
8 Luke Whitelock (c)
9 Aaron Smith
10 Josh Ioane
11 Tevita Li
12 Teihorangi Walden
13 Rob Thompson
14 Waisake Naholo
15 Josh McKayRESERVES
16 Ash Dixon
17 Daniel Lienert-Brown
18 Siate Tokolahi
19 Josh Dickson
20 Shannon Frizell
21 Kayne Hammington
22 Marty Banks
23 Elliot DixonUnavailable due to injury: Ben Smith (hamstring)
Season ending injuries: Tevita Nabura (knee), Richard Buckman (achilles), Bryn Gatland (foot)
Highlanders stalwart Liam Coltman will play his 100th game for the club when he takes the field against the NSW Waratahs in Invercargill on Friday night.
Notes on Liam Coltman Highlander #199 Coltman made his debut for the Highlanders in 2013 as back up to All Black Andrew Hore, after making his debut for Otago in 2010.In the same year he represented the NZ U20 at the Junior World Cup Championship in Argentina, with the team going on to win that tournament. His All Black debut made his debut was in 2016 against Italy in Rome. He has made four appearances for the All Blacks to date. A product of Francis Douglas Memorial College which has also produced the Barrett brothers and teammate Teihorangi Walden.
Co-captain, Ben Smith’s, troublesome hamstring has not recovered sufficiently enough for him to take his place in the 23 despite training with the team this week. In a statement Head Coach, Aaron Mauger, said, “Ben worked extremely hard to be available for his team this week, unfortunately he is still a little short of being match ready”. Elsewhere, Teihorangi Walden is restored to the midfield and Daniel Lienert-Brown and Elliot Dixon will form part of a six/two: forward/back reserve bench for what is shaping as a season defining game for the Highlanders, their top eight aspirations rely on a strong winning performance against the Waratahs. If they achieve five points from the match, they will have to anxiously await other results throughout the weekend.
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@NTA said in Clan v Tahs:
Clan should get a bonus point here.
Agreed. Looks like we've given up hope after that appalling effort against the Bumbies.
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he shoulda dived on that ball, woulda bought him more time, but instead tries to pick it up...great chase from McKay though
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Tahs struggling in these conditions to hold on to the tackle.
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and Fern fave Li goes through a soft tackle to score in the corner.