'Be f****** better': Tony Brown vents frustrations after Highlanders loss
Highlanders head coach Tony Brown has vented his frustrations after his side fell short in a disappointing defeat to the Waratahs in Dunedin on Sunday.
Brown cut an annoyed, dejected and even angry figure in the coaches box at Forsyth Barr Stadium as the Waratahs scored a 32-20 victory to notch their first win in New Zealand since 2015, and their first in Dunedin in 14 years.
The result means the Highlanders now must beat the Rebels in Melbourne in the final round of the regular season this weekend to clinch a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final berth.
Failure to do that in front of their home crowd against the New South Welshmen in such disappointing fashion proved to be a sticking point for Brown, who painted a clear picture of how he felt after the match.
“I think we definitely didn’t quite get the preparation right,” Brown told Sky Sport of where the Highlanders went wrong in a game where they conceded a red card at the expense of Sam Gilbert, gave away 19 turnovers and missed 30 tackles.
“Individually, guys weren’t quite on the job, and when you’re turning over the ball in contact, it’s purely down to your desire and your preparation around the physical parts of the game.
“We’re not a good enough team to go into a game against the Waratahs, who are a good team, half-cocked.
“I thought we had a reasonable start to the game. Our first try was one of the better ones for the year.
“Our collisions were really good, and we were getting turnovers from Jimmy Lentjes and Billy Harmon, but then we just went into this footy where we were giving away soft penalties, piggybacking them into our half, and then it fell apart from there.
“Our discipline wasn’t good, our ball retention was poor, and we got beaten by a better team, but, in a way, I just think we beat ourselves tonight.”
Asked how the Highlanders go about amending those shortcomings against the Rebels in what is effectively a must-win match to keep their season alive, Brown didn’t mince his words in his response.
“It’s just pure individual preparation,” the former All Blacks first-five told Sky Sport.
“Being prepared to sacrifice a few things around your personal life, or whatever it may be, and really committing to the team, committing to the cause, and just trying to be f****** better than you were last week.
“I think maybe a couple of guys in our set-up got a bit ahead of themselves and they need to probably look at themselves and look at the footage from the game and be honest.”
Brown echoed those sentiments in his post-match press conference, where he revealed that Mitch Hunt was far from certain to start in the absence of Gilbert, whose season may be over as a result of his red card.
Gilbert – who shone in his shock appearance at first-five during his side’s record-breaking win over the Force a week earlier – was sent off for a reckless clean out of Waratahs star Michael Hooper, resulting in the Wallabies captain being dumped on his head.
That didn’t help the Highlanders’ cause after they were already impacted heavily by an outbreak of the flu, leading to widespread changes to their match day squad at short notice.
Brown is hopeful those who missed the Waratahs match will be available to face the Rebels, but it’s probable that Gilbert won’t be among those players as he is expected to be banned for the remainder of the Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
That would leave the Highlanders short-changed on first-five options at the business end of the season as Hunt continues to struggle with concussion symptoms after colliding heads with Force midfielder Richard Kahui.
As such, it appears likely that veteran playmaker Marty Banks, who replaced Gilbert after his 20-minute red card had lifted, will compete with utility back Vilimoni Koroi for the No 10 jersey against the Rebels.
Brown has indicated that he views Koroi, normally a wing or fullback, as a long-term first-five, but the All Blacks Sevens star has hardly been sighted this season, making just one bench appearance against the Blues in March.
Banks, meanwhile, has struggled to make in imprint on proceedings upon returning for a third stint at the Highlanders this year, meaning Brown will be forced to get the best out of his players if they are to make the playoffs.
It’s a challenge that the outgoing Highlanders boss, who will leave the franchise at the end of the season to focus on his role as Japan assistant coach on a full-time basis, is acutely aware of.
However, he remains confident in achieving the success expected of him and his team as the race for eighth place reaches its crescendo at AAMI Park this Sunday.
“We’ve definitely got to win,” Brown said of the Rebels clash in his post-match press conference.
“Destiny’s in our hands. We need a performance. It’s just frustrating for us as a team to go backwards so far after we’ve been building quite nicely.
“We’ve still got an opportunity to make the eight. It’s still in our hands, we’ve just got to be better right across the park.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
58 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments