Highlanders v Blues
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LAULALA CELEBRATES CENTURY IN SEASON OPENER — Blues Rugby
Blues prop, Nepo Laulala is poised to bring up 100 Super Rugby games this weekend with his side set to face the Highlanders in the opening game of the DHL Super Rugby Pacific 2023 season on Saturday, February 25, at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. Laulala, who has previousl
1 Ofa Tuungafasi
2 Kurt Eklund
3 Nepo Laulala
4 Patrick Tuipulotu
5 Cameron Suafoa
6 Akira Ioane
7 Dalton Papalii
8 Hoskins Sotutu
9 Finlay Christie
10 Beauden Barrett
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
13 Rieko Ioane
14 Mark Telea
15 Stephen PerofetaReserves:
16 Ricky Riccitelli
17 Joshua Fusitu’a
18 Marcel Renata
19 James Tucker
20 Adrian Choat
21 Taufa Funaki
22 Bryce Heem
23 AJ LamInjured
Sam Darry (knee), Alex Hodgman (illness), James Lay (ankle), Sam Nock (calf), Harry Plummer (ribs), Tom Robinson (illness) -
Predictable XV the questions were more on the bench
Good to see Choat ahead of Segner. Shame that we have Ricky above Vikena
Sullivan vs AJ on the bench was the other decision. Sullivan gives better cover if there's an injury early, AJ more impact in the last 20. Zarn probably suffered by playing 10 behind a poor pack where ironically the only time he got to show anything was when he was returning the ball from deep, like a fullback
Big chance for Joshua Fusitu’a he could move up the rankings fast this year
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Highlanders side; Man for man clearly better than their opposite. Landers by 25+
Ethan de Groot
Rhys Marshall
Jermaine Ainsley
Paripari Parkinson
Josh Dickson
Shannon Frizell
Billy Harmon ©
Marino Mikaele Tu’u
Folau Fakatava
Mitch Hunt
Jona Nareki
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Josh Timu
Jonah Lowe
Sam Gilbert
Reserves: 16. Andrew Makalio, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Saula Ma'u, 19. Will Tucker, 20. Sean Withy, 21. Kemara Hauiti Parapara, 22. Freddie Burns, 23. Connor Garden-BachopNot Available due to injury: James Arscott (knee), Marty Banks (groin), Fabian Holland (knee), Vili Koroi (knee), Fetuli Paea (calf)
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@Stargazer said in Highlanders v Blues:
No Zarn Sullivan.
Come and join your bro at the Canes son, we could do with a class first five. Plus, the Blues owe us for stealing Beaudy.
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@Canes4life Getting Zarn wouldn't even be stealing, considering he's from the Canes' catchment.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Blues:
Highlanders side; Man for man clearly better than their opposite. Landers by 25+
Ethan de Groot
Rhys Marshall
Jermaine Ainsley
Paripari Parkinson
Josh Dickson
Shannon Frizell
Billy Harmon ©
Marino Mikaele Tu’u
Folau Fakatava
Mitch Hunt
Jona Nareki
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Josh Timu
Jonah Lowe
Sam Gilbert
Reserves: 16. Andrew Makalio, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Saula Ma'u, 19. Will Tucker, 20. Sean Withy, 21. Kemara Hauiti Parapara, 22. Freddie Burns, 23. Connor Garden-BachopNot Available due to injury: James Arscott (knee), Marty Banks (groin), Fabian Holland (knee), Vili Koroi (knee), Fetuli Paea (calf)
that has to be pretty close to full strength, if they can fire we cold be in with a good chance
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Blues:
Reserves: 16. Andrew Makalio, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Saula Ma'u, 19. Will Tucker, 20. Sean Withy, 21. Kemara Hauiti Parapara, 22. Freddie Burns, 23. Connor Garden-Bachop
Top backline at the moment.
Would suggest Holland would be in the mixer for our lock rotation, Arscott as the third nine and that would be the top unit.
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@Crucial said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Tim jesus that backline!
According to AB threads that backline contains a useless halfback, a scattergun 10, a wannabe 12, a 13 that makes poor decisions, a stopgap wing, a wing with terrible defence that trips over his own feet and a fullback that isn’t good enough to get a game.
Just saying.Still better than the opposition
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@antipodean said in Highlanders v Blues:
According to AB threads that backline contains a useless halfback, a scattergun 10, a wannabe 12, a 13 that makes poor decisions, a stopgap wing, a wing with terrible defence that trips over his own feet and a fullback that isn’t good enough to get a game.
No chance. Every Highlander is a superior player to their Blues opposite.
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all jokes aside, obviously the Blues have better options on paper in almost every position, 9? maybe but fakatave is coming back from injury, i would say possibly close at 12 and our locks are very good...our only hope is if we can come together as a better unit.....but in saying that most of that blues team has been playing together for a while....so...a tough ask
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Blues:
@antipodean said in Highlanders v Blues:
According to AB threads that backline contains a useless halfback, a scattergun 10, a wannabe 12, a 13 that makes poor decisions, a stopgap wing, a wing with terrible defence that trips over his own feet and a fullback that isn’t good enough to get a game.
No chance. Every Highlander is a superior player to their Blues opposite.
It was more that I was taking the piss out of AB critics who then say 'what an awesome side'. Same players.
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@Crucial you didn't address my reply earlier...you do get there is a HUGE difference between test rugby against Ireland and France....and the Highlanders....our whole backline has 2 caps
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Crucial you didn't address my reply earlier...you do get there is a HUGE difference between test rugby against Ireland and France....and the Highlanders....our whole backline has 2 caps
It was a joke FFS. Never meant to be a critique of players at this level. I also tried to make it personal skill criticisms rather than abilities at a higher level.
If you trip over your own feet, surely the level isn't the problem.The joke was directed at posters and crtics, not at players.
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@Crucial said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Crucial you didn't address my reply earlier...you do get there is a HUGE difference between test rugby against Ireland and France....and the Highlanders....our whole backline has 2 caps
It was a joke FFS. Never meant to be a critique of players at this level. I also tried to make it personal skill criticisms rather than abilities at a higher level.
If you trip over your own feet, surely the level isn't the problem.The joke was directed at posters and crtics, not at players.
And it was a great joke. Also helped me in reaffirming the Blues in my delusional mind are ripe for the picking! Highlanders by 25+
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@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders v Blues:
Should be a great battle in the loose forwards
the battle of the 6s and 8s will be epic. You would think that there are a couple of spots in the AB squad up for grabs there, and every game will count
