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Aaron Mauger loads up on All Blacks for 'transformed' Reds team

By Alex McLeod
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger has rung the changes as his side prepares to face what he believes will be a gritty, youthful Reds outfit in Dunedin on Friday night.

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The injection of nine All Blacks into the starting lineup – including Shannon Frizell, Dillon Hunt, Aaron Smith and Waisake Naholo, all of whom didn’t start last weekend – makes for a very strong Highlanders side, of which will be looking to build on from their thrilling season-opening 30-27 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton last Friday.

Impressive playmaker Josh Ioane has retained his role as the starting first-five after a composed showing at Waikato Stadium, with cult hero Marty Banks set to complete his return to the franchise from off the bench after ousting Bryn Gatland – who failed to make his Highlanders debut from off the pine last week – in the reserves.

“Josh performed well,” Mauger told RugbyPass of his pivot’s display last weekend.

“[It’s] just a reflection of the quality of preparation he’s put into his game through the pre-season, went out there and trusted his game.

“[He] did everything we asked, and you could see his confidence growing and the trust that the guys around him are starting to have in Josh leading the team around the park.

“Marty comes into the 23, [as] part of our plan, we want to get all those fly halves involved in the first couple of weeks, so they’ll get their time through there.”

A notable omission from the match day squad is 23-test loose forward Liam Squire.

The 27-year-old announced his signing with Japanese club NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes earlier this week, meaning 2019 will act as his final season with the Highlanders.

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However, the start of his last campaign with the Dunedin-based franchise has been delayed with a “hip grumble”, according to Mauger.

“We just want to make sure we manage him right,” Mauger said.

“It could be one week or it could be two, so we’ll just wait for the medical team to give us the go ahead.

“Like out All Blacks last week, we want to make sure they’re ready when we put them out there, there’s no point putting them out there, especially when we’ve got the depth that we have in that position.”

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That position, at blindside flanker, has a new occupant this week, with Frizell bumping Jackson Hemopo back into the second row, where he played all of his Super Rugby last year.

While the All Blacks selectors see three-test Hemopo primarily as a number six that can play in the second row, Mauger views things differently.

“We see him as a lock that can play six,” he said.

“This year, we’ve got a lot of loose forwards. Last week, he played six due to circumstances, that’s what we required [of him], but he’s going to play lock this week with the potential to shift out if we need him.”

Despite the obvious firepower evident throughout his side, Mauger is wary of the threat posed by the Brad Thorn-coached Reds.

The Queenslanders are yet to play this season, after having the bye in the opening round, but Mauger is expecting the youngsters in the side to shine under the tutelage of Thorn.

“You can see in the Reds’ performances over the last year how much that reflects Thorny, and how he played the game and his mindset towards the game.

“He’s really transformed them. They’ve turned into a real tough team to play against, they compete very hard at everything, and that was Thorny’s style of play, and I’m sure he’s transferred that into his coaching philosophy as well.

“We expect them to be on for 80 minutes, they’re a team that don’t give up, there’s plenty of guts and grit in their side, and they’ve also got some young guys coming through.

“Hamish Stewart, they’ve got Moses Sorovi at nine, who performed really well in their pre-season games, and starting to take a bit of confidence and lead their team around, so they’ll be a very tough challenge this week.”

The Highlanders fought hard for an 18-15 win over the Reds in the corresponding fixture last year, requiring a second-half comeback and 78th-minute penalty goal to break a 15-all deadlock in Brisbane.

Mauger is set to be without the services of one of his own youngster, with midfielder Sio Tomkinson still awaiting a verdict from his judiciary hearing following his controversial red card for a rogue tackle on Brodie Retallick last week.

The Highlanders appealed Glenn Jackson’s decision to send Tomkinson off, and are hopeful of a result this afternoon, Mauger said.

Highlanders team to face the Reds at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday:

  1. Ayden Johstone
  2. Liam Coltman
  3. Tyrel Lomax
  4. Jackson Hemopo
  5. Josh Dickson
  6. Shannon Frizell
  7. Dillon Hunt
  8. Luke Whitelock (cc)
  9. Aaron Smith
  10. Josh Ioane
  11. Tevita Li
  12. Tei Walden
  13. Rob Thompson
  14. Waisake Naholo
  15. Ben Smith (cc)

Reserves:

  1. Ash Dixon
  2. Daniel Lienert-Brown
  3. Siate Tokolahi
  4. Jack Whetton
  5. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u
  6. Kayne Hammington
  7. Marty Banks
  8. Matt Faddes

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A
Adrian 58 minutes ago
Reds are carrying the Australian flag on and off the pitch

Thanks Nick, and totally correct. Definately too many teams which is unfortunately an effect of the 21st century hubris that began after our 2nd World Cup win. Honestly we weren't like that before then. If NZ beat us in a Rugby League or cricket series (which has occasionally happened) they don't all of a sudden think they are our equal or even better than us. Unfortunately for Australia, we got carried away with ourselves and wanted to jump from 4th biggest football code to biggest…in 5 minutes. More teams, more matches against the All Blacks (so we could beat them even more). Bring it on. It’s been all down hill since then. Assuming Melbourne are gone, there are very good reasons to keep the remaining 4 in SR, or so it would seem. The Force?…wronged previously, and have $s. Surely not. The Brumbies?….easily the best performed. Surely not. The Waratahs?….most players (50%) and most followers. Surely not. The Reds?….easily the best current team, and nearly as many players and followers as the Waratahs. Surely not. I’d argue that based on how strong the combined Reds n Rebs would be and how strong a combined team of all of the other Oz SR teams would be, we have players for 2 teams…..which would be good. Good enough for a propper SR competition…or maybe good enough for Japan….if they’ll have us. Existing SR teams?….keep them and have them play a second tier…or maybe NZ's NRC….if they'll have us. This is biting the bullet. We have the cattle

1 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 2 hours ago
How England reverse-engineered unlikely attacking change

Thanks, Nick, not only for this fine article, but for all the others during 6N 2024. I really enjoyed this 2024 tournament, and felt it was one of the best for many years. That final match in Lyons was really good. England were certainly unlucky when that speculative hack by Ramos lead to a French try. It could just so easily have landed in English hand.s, and they score at the other end. I did think though that the French played some great rugby, and some of their driving play in the forwards was just fearsome. I watched Meafou with interest, and he has a good start to his career. It is interesting to compare him with Will Skelton. Lot of similarities, though so far Meafou has not shown any offloading threat. All credit to Borthwick for being prepared to change, and what great result, even if that last game was lost at the death. I feel they are a real chance to cause the AB’s problems this winter/summer. Finally a comment on Ireland. I thought their last game was their worst, and they did not look like the world’s No 2 side at all. What really worries me is that the loss to England was, in my view, down to poor decision making by the coaching group, and ofc Andy Farrell wears that. It was a big mistake to move JGP away from scrum half. Murray should have been the one to go to the wing. And the “finishers” should have been on the field earlier. And this is the second time this has happened. The RWC Qf against the AB’s, and not getting Crowley onto the field was a huge mistake. Finally, finally, watching Italy play was a joy. How wonderful that they are no longer the punchbag of the 6 N.

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