Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

I think they call it “crowning’’ in the United States. 

It’s that rush to anoint this team or this season or this player as the absolute cream of the crop, no matter whether that judgement’s entirely premature or not. 

I’m not immune to it myself. I see something special in Crusaders and Wellington halfback Kyle Preston, for instance. Then I remember he’s been on the scene for about five minutes and conclude that only a halfwit would declare him a future All Blacks great on such a small body of work. 

It’s heartening, for example, to see the Highlanders have won a game this season. Even if that result says more about the team they beat – the Blues – than it does about the Highlanders themselves. 

Fixture

Super Rugby Pacific

Highlanders

29 - 21

Full-time

Blues

All Stats and Data

I’ll be interested to see how much puff the Highlanders have at the end of the season, given coach Jamie Joseph’s track record of flogging players to death at training. 

That can help at the start of a campaign, when Joseph’s teams are often in better physical shape than their opponents. It’s just not so beneficial at the back end when fatigue and soft-tissue injuries become commonplace. 

Nevertheless, I see and read proclamations extolling the virtues of this Highlanders team and Joseph, as well as predictions he’s unearthed one or two absolute gems in the backline. 

Again, we’re two games in, one of which the Highlanders have won. It’s maybe a bit early to be handing out the player and coach of the year awards. 

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

1

Draws

0

Wins

4

Average Points scored

23

31

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

20%

That’s not to say Super Rugby Pacific hasn’t started well or that there aren’t encouraging signs from teams across the competition. 

Australia’s distribution of talent is better, without the Rebels. Is that enough for one of their franchises to win the competition? I highly doubt it. 

Still, I’ll enjoy the competitive rugby while it lasts. 

The Chiefs look good. The Crusaders are slightly improved and will, hopefully, get better. The Hurricanes are okay, but they’re going to need inexperienced players to step up week after week and that’s easier said than done. 

Their bodies might be willing but, mentally, they often struggle to sustain the quality of their performances after a certain period. They simply don’t know how to manage things like their recovery and sleep or deal with the pressure that comes from being in the public glare. 

Those are learned skills. 

The Blues are intriguing and need to address both their attitude and who’s running the team. I’m not sure the return of Beauden Barrett has been as seamless as it could be, with regard to the latter. 

But, again, we’re two weeks in. Beat the Hurricanes convincingly in Wellington on Saturday and the Blues will feel they’re still title contenders. 

Meanwhile, Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua are about where we’d expect them to be. They’re trying hard, but sustaining that effort often becomes difficult when you don’t win that often. 

Competitions, such as Super Rugby Pacific, are battles of attrition and performances in February don’t count for a lot come May and June. 

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be passing judgement on who’s doing well and who needs to improve. We just don’t need to be crowning champions this early in the year.