'He just looked like he was the connector of everything': Exiting Highlander might be the glue keeping their title hopes alive
After a Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign that proved to be a mixed bag, the Highlanders have flown under the radar somewhat in the Trans-Tasman edition in 2021. Indeed, with the departure of head coach Tony Brown to Japan for international duties, several injury issues and periods of controversy in the New Zealand competition many perhaps didn’t know what to expect come the competition featuring the Australian franchises.
Yet it quickly became apparent that the men from Dunedin had no intentions of being uncompetitive and the Highlanders haven’t looked back since a confident round one victory against the Super Rugby AU champions the Reds.
In fact, with each passing week, the southerners have been consistently going about their business, posting impressive score lines and showing great effectiveness in their set-piece thanks to a vastly experienced forward pack. The quality of their defence in the competition has also been outstanding, defence coach Shane Christie ensuring his team remain the best in the competition for tackle success heading into the final round of games.
Certainly their round four victory over the Waratahs proved the great cohesiveness and consistency the Highlanders have been able to build in these particular areas in such a short space of time. Their Saturday night outing saw them score forty-plus points in the competition for the third time.
Consistency seems to definitively define what the Highlanders are about this season. Much like the Blues, who currently sit just one point above them in first, consistency in team selection has proved an undoubted key to success in what is such a short, fast format of competition. With just five games lying between a team and the grand final, every game has been targeted with intensity and the Highlanders in this regard may just have set the formula to achieve their first Super Rugby success since 2015.
The backline that played against the Waratahs, for example, was the fourth time in a row that numbers 10-14 have all been occupied by the same players: Mitch Hunt, Jona Nareki, Scott Gregory, Michael Collins and Patelesio Tomkinson. Add in Josh Ioane, Sam Gilbert and Ngatungane Punivai and the Highlanders backline is certainly shaping up nicely. Not forgetting of course, the class and tempo that 97-test All Black Aaron Smith brings in buckets.
Whilst against the Waratahs, the Highlanders pack proved just as brutally effective as ever, it was one of the figures in their ever-consistent backline that caught former Blues hooker James Parsons’ attention. Speaking on this week’s episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Parsons identified the often unnoticed but crucial contributions of his former teammate Collins at centre, in bringing about the Highlanders’ fourth win in a row of the season.
“He’s found his home at 13,” commented Parsons of the 28-year-old. “His game’s gone from strength to strength…On the weekend he got an early turnover, he got a try, he got a couple of try assists but it was what I saw off the ball, defensively, like his ability to read when to rush as the second-to-last defender…and shut things down even when there were overlaps, [that really impressed me].”
Other elements of Collins’ performance also impressed Parsons. “Whenever someone was subbed on he was always communicating, connecting with them, letting them know what the flow of game was. James Arscott on debut came on and he [Collins] was straight up to him organizing, he just looked like he was the connector of everything. He was a real solid leader for the group…and a big influencer in terms of all the action. ”
Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall was equally as complimentary of the Highlanders player, who will link up with Ospreys at the end of this season. “The biggest asset he has is that he’s a great communicator and has a pretty good understanding game management-wise.” said Hall. “Having that ability to be able to communicate inside what the space is in front of you or outside you is really important…and Michael’s doing that really well. You see on the field he’s pointing defensively, who’s got who and he gives a real confidence in that defence….I’ve loved that and his ability on attack as well.”
Nothing better than seeing how much the jersey means to the men behind the scenes ? @ChiefsRugby #WARvCHI #SuperRugbyTThttps://t.co/lVYREnHxiZ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 8, 2021
Hall also noted the positive effect Collins seemed to be having on a backline made up largely of youthful exuberance, particularly his influence in forming a strong partnership with 22-year-old Scott Gregory in the centres. In much the same way as Collins and the No 13 jersey Gregory since returning to the Highlanders fold has laid claim to the 12 jersey, the position he featured in prominently at U20 level in 2018.
“I’ve really enjoyed seeing Gregory and Collins together,” noted Hall. “It’s been great for the continuity of that side and you’ve probably seen the best performance out of Scott Gregory due to Michael Collins and his ability to make him feel comfortable. It’s helped Mitch Hunt and their forward pack as well, when you’ve got a great communicator like Mike. From the outside, he looks like he’s doing a lot of good for that team.”
Certainly, given his Welsh connections, Collins may potentially be eyeing up a shot at higher honours when he lands in Swansea, following in the footsteps of fellow Kiwi-born Welshmen Gareth Anscombe, Hadleigh Parkes, Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo.
Comments on RugbyPass
Dagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
4 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
3 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
37 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
3 Go to comments