Highlanders 2020
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@shark said in Highlanders 2020:
Which is where he started his FC career before somehow being converted to fullback somewhere along the line. So I agree.
When he signed for the Blues he was being talked about as a utility who was primarily a midfielder.
In his first pre-season he only played at 12 and did a good job. When the regular season started he moved to fullback. Dumb. -
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2020:
@Duluth yeah I remember him as a young centre for Otago. I predicted big things. Little did I know just how big.
I remember the hype around him as a midfielder, clearly it was just you
, so I did find it hard squaring that with the guy playing fullback at the Blues. -
@Duluth said in Highlanders 2020:
@shark said in Highlanders 2020:
Which is where he started his FC career before somehow being converted to fullback somewhere along the line. So I agree.
When he signed for the Blues he was being talked about as a utility who was primarily a midfielder.
In his first pre-season he only played at 12 and did a good job. When the regular season started he moved to fullback. Dumb.His best contributions to the blues was his play up in the line, playing like a midfielder.
His play at fullback was comically bad, my favourite being him diving into the turf, tripping over his own feet and watching the ball bounce in front of him and the other team scoring while he was still on the ground.
He was the most consistent howler generator in Super Rugby. At least one in every game.
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@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2020:
I remember hearing how much Tevita Li was going to carve up at the Highlanders once he got out of the Blues. Then he become a comedic target by Highlanders fans on here.
So I take it you can't back it up then?
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@Bones Tevita Li was one of the kids that was supposed to be the next coming , but from what I could see his game never found consistency or improvement to take him to another level , pace for Africa ,but prone to the most outrageous mistakes .
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@Steven-Harris when I watched him at age group i thought he was gonna be a star for the ABs...nope
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@taniwharugby said in Highlanders 2020:
@Steven-Harris when I watched him at age group i thought he was gonna be a star for the ABs...nope
He seems to get worse with experience...
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2020:
@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2020:
I remember hearing how much Tevita Li was going to carve up at the Highlanders once he got out of the Blues. Then he become a comedic target by Highlanders fans on here.
So I take it you can't back it up then?
My memory was that there was quite of bit of hype that Li would follow the path of Naholo and 'click' once leaving the Blues for the Highlanders given he was such a standout at U20 level and he was still young when he went to the Highlanders.
I guess my general point is that whilst the Blues are undoubtedly are an absolute basketcase of an organisation - that's not to say that some of the players in the team aren't also limited - Bryn Gatland being another example.
If James Parsons left the Blues I don't believe he would suddenly become effective at another franchise - Michael Collins is/was essentially the backs version of Parsons. Parsons being re-signed by the Blues shows they still have big time issues as an organisation.
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@taniwharugby He's a weird on as I feel like he was just bigger than everyone else at age group rugby but was too small once he reached pro rugby with the style he played with coming through. He was also shocking at staying on his feet to the point where you'd think there was a sniper in the crowd as he'd fall to the ground very quickly once getting a hand on him.
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@African-Monkey said in Highlanders 2020:
@taniwharugby He's a weird on as I feel like he was just bigger than everyone else at age group rugby but was too small once he reached pro rugby with the style he played with coming through. He was also shocking at staying on his feet to the point where you'd think there was a sniper in the crowd as he'd fall to the ground very quickly once getting a hand on him.
Hah that's the hilarious thing about him eh, it's so weird. Blasts through a tackle then someone else comes up and glances in his general direction and he falls over.
@KiwiMurph agree wholeheartedly although don't recall anyone talking up Li when he was leaving the blues.
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2020:
@KiwiMurph agree wholeheartedly although don't recall anyone talking up Li when he was leaving the blues.
This. I think some people expressed the hope he would improve at the Highlanders, or wondered whether he would, but I don't remember any hype or expectation.
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@Bones And the thing is, is that he would have been a very handy player had he been taught to stay up off the ground.
Without trying to turn this into a Blues thread or sound like I'm wanking on about Blues players, I feel that Caleb Clarke who stylistically is a lot like Tevita Li, is the far better version. He's far stronger in contact, has great leg drive and runs great lines as well as having speed to burn (so does Li to be fair).
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Ran into one of my North Harbour contacts this morning..The Highlanders are having a good look at Ethan Roots..interesting
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@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2020:
If James Parsons left the Blues I don't believe he would suddenly become effective at another franchise - Michael Collins is/was essentially the backs version of Parsons. Parsons being re-signed by the Blues shows they still have big time issues as an organisation.
Thing about Parsons is that it's hard to believe that he's not among the best 15 hookers in the country - he's just not among the best five.
