Highlanders 2021
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@mofitzy_ said in Highlanders 2021:
What are Nareki's weakness from an AB POV?
Mainly, not Caleb Clarke or Rieko Ioane. Defensive alignment is pretty dodgy at times, in the past he's been prone to some clangers. He's been steadily improving the last year and a half though.
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@mofitzy_ said in Highlanders 2021:
@bones
Defensive positioning can be improved. He's a small bloke but physical, like Kolbe. Also not a poach as he grew up in NZ.Yeah, I think he's probably just gonna be unfortunate - too many in front of him and enough midgets in the AB's already. Plenty of water to go under the bridge though - that's a handy left boot to have at the back (but not at the expense of Clarke).
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@bones has nareki played any other positions? He seems to lack a bit of pace for a international winger but think maybe centre or full back may be a option in the future
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@family-man no idea, but to be honest long range pace comes in a lot less handy these days than it used to. He's bloody quick on that swerve and changing direction, very similar to NMS. Can't see him making the ABs unless he has this kinda form in a world cup year.
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I’m captain of the nareki cheer squad and I’m not talking about the abs
Reece was awesome last week remember
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I’m going to modify my stance, hes great I would put him in a similar bracket to ash Dixon but for different reasons
If we had a bad run of injuries I’d be happy to give him a shot, he’s not bringing the experience ash would but he does seem like the guy that might spark if given a shot...just doesn’t have quite the rounded game to over take an incumbent
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@family-man said in Highlanders 2021:
@bones has nareki played any other positions? He seems to lack a bit of pace for a international winger but think maybe centre or full back may be a option in the future.
He'd be too small at centre. I'm sure he could play fullback without too much difficulty
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It’s just so hard because left wing is so clearly his best position with that left boot he has, he does all out left corner exits
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@kiwiwomble I always used my right foot when kicking for touch from the left hand side of the field when there was not much angle to work with.
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@bones He's still got one more match winning hattrick to go to atone for that God awful butchering of a huge overlap vs the Blues last year till he's back in my good books. Hungus cost us a decent win and reparation does not get paid by beating the Italy of Super Rugby Aotearoa 😃.
He was pretty good yesterday but.
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@bobily2 said in Highlanders 2021:
@family-man said in Highlanders 2021:
@bones has nareki played any other positions? He seems to lack a bit of pace for a international winger but think maybe centre or full back may be a option in the future.
He'd be too small at centre. I'm sure he could play fullback without too much difficulty
Yeah he's basically NMS mk II. If he'd burst out with this form in a RWC year he might have a chance.
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@bovidae damn, coltman use to play both, wonder if we’d rather a super level hooker playing prob than digging too deep into the reserves
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@kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021:
@bovidae damn, coltman use to play both, wonder if we’d rather a super level hooker playing prob than digging too deep into the reserves
I believe he was more of a tighthead.
There are still a few looseheads around who are passable. Some are definitely training with other franchises, so I'm not sure how that all works, but Cobb, Lindenmuth, Coxon, O'Donnell would all go okay.
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Lienert-Brown fractured his left forearm in the second half against the Chiefs and will be out until the end of April.
Ayden Johnstone has returned to training paddock after a long spell out with concussion but is still not ready, leaving Josh Hohneck and Ethan de Groot as the Highlanders’ only options against the Blues’ All Blacks tightheads Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tuungafasi.
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This article was posted in a Hawke's Bay thread, but re-posting it here because otherwise not everyone interested in the Highlanders might see it.
Loosehead Daniel Lienert-Brown fractured his arm against the Chiefs, with Josh Hohneck likely to start in the No 1 jersey.
However, that may not be the only change if the Highlanders decide to freshen up the pack after starting with the same lineup for the past two weeks.
Hooker Liam Coltman's size could be an asset early on, while abrasive loose forward Hugh Renton has also been pushing his case with some physical performances.
Dermody said the sluggish starts of the past two weeks had been addressed, putting the responsibility on the players to get their attitudes right.Meanwhile, Hawke's Bay prop Namatahi Waa is spending the week with the Highlanders as injury cover following Lienert-Brown's injury.
Waa arrives on the recommendation of Magpies coach Mark Ozich, who is also helping the Highlanders with their under-20s program.Edit: don't know why it won't properly embed
