Highlanders 2023
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@gt12 i feel im not exaggerating too much by saying what small chance we had of a successful season is gone...we've been saying all along we needed to avid injuries...and now two of our nailed on starters are out after 3min of rugby
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Interested to see what they do at 8. Name Harmon there and mix it between him and Frizzell, with Withy, who I thought was very good as a replacement. Or, bring in young Broughton. I'd go Fizzell, Withy and Harmon. The real problem is the lack of punch or defensive ability in the backline. Freddie Burns should get a go at 10. I'm a huge fan of Josh Timu. A classic midfield battler. Just isn't quite at this level. A player like Umaga-Jensen needs a quick strike centre beside him. Not Timu. Same with the back three. Lowe and Gilbert fine. Just need that Nareki in there too.
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@Duluth That sucks. Both a very big loss for the Landers. The Highlanders don't really have anyone who can replace them like for like. MMT is a big unit who's still pretty fast for a big guy and can hit hard. Nareki has an explosive speed that none of the other outside backs have. It will give the coaches some selection head aches.
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@Stargazer you right, that really sucks, puts Highlanders on back foot real early!
I hate it when any teams start a season like this! -
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Duluth That sucks. Both a very big loss for the Landers. The Highlanders don't really have anyone who can replace them like for like. MMT is a big unit who's still pretty fast for a big guy and can hit hard. Nareki has an explosive speed that none of the other outside backs have. It will give the coaches some selection head aches.
MMT also has a decent work ethic from the few games I have seen of him. If not for Ardie I'd have guessed he'd have been in AB contention.
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@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2023:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Duluth That sucks. Both a very big loss for the Landers. The Highlanders don't really have anyone who can replace them like for like. MMT is a big unit who's still pretty fast for a big guy and can hit hard. Nareki has an explosive speed that none of the other outside backs have. It will give the coaches some selection head aches.
MMT also has a decent work ethic from the few games I have seen of him. If not for Ardie I'd have guessed he'd have been in AB contention.
I wonder if MMT has an out-clause in his NZ contract this year if he doesn't make the ABs that allows him to switch to Manu Samoa for the RWC?
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@Nepia said in Highlanders 2023:
@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2023:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Duluth That sucks. Both a very big loss for the Landers. The Highlanders don't really have anyone who can replace them like for like. MMT is a big unit who's still pretty fast for a big guy and can hit hard. Nareki has an explosive speed that none of the other outside backs have. It will give the coaches some selection head aches.
MMT also has a decent work ethic from the few games I have seen of him. If not for Ardie I'd have guessed he'd have been in AB contention.
I wonder if MMT has an out-clause in his NZ contract this year if he doesn't make the ABs that allows him to switch to Manu Samoa for the RWC?
With Ardie overseas in 2024 you'd think he'd wait at least one extra year with a new coaching staff to see if he could crack the ABs.
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@Kiwiwomble What was the result of the Bravehearts-Crusaders Dev game?
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@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
@Bovidae no idea, they posted the teams on the social but havent seen a result....@Canes4life , your mate able to post the result?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
It's a NZ rugby contract so I presume for most of them (not the odd silly foreigner ones) that you're also signalling your eligibility for NZ?
@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia said in Highlanders 2023:
@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2023:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Duluth That sucks. Both a very big loss for the Landers. The Highlanders don't really have anyone who can replace them like for like. MMT is a big unit who's still pretty fast for a big guy and can hit hard. Nareki has an explosive speed that none of the other outside backs have. It will give the coaches some selection head aches.
MMT also has a decent work ethic from the few games I have seen of him. If not for Ardie I'd have guessed he'd have been in AB contention.
I wonder if MMT has an out-clause in his NZ contract this year if he doesn't make the ABs that allows him to switch to Manu Samoa for the RWC?
With Ardie overseas in 2024 you'd think he'd wait at least one extra year with a new coaching staff to see if he could crack the ABs.
Maybe but he's turning 26 this year so may opt for the NH coin and Samoa international. (I'm just speculating).
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
You don't have to be available for NZ to play super, many PI players have and do play super as well as the odd Pom/Argo (Matera for Crusadersetc) have played super.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
@Bovidae no idea, they posted the teams on the social but havent seen a result....@Canes4life , your mate able to post the result?
41-40 to the Crusaders Dev side right on the final whistle apparently.
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hmmmm, when i thought of Gilbert in the midfield i always as 12, to give TUJ a rest
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@Kiwiwomble Don't really care how they format it, but they need to try something. TUJ and Timu don't work as a midfield at this level, even if both have been decent individually. Need some pace and finesse... if you want TUJ could play 13.
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@friedrugby i think i would be most likely to give him a rest after one more game, as he's had injuries before and try 12 Gilbert 13 timu
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I'm all for Gilbert going into the midfield. He is probably the quickest in tbe squad. So, would be an interesting move.
