'He's the perfect guy' - Teammates rejoice return of Highlanders cult hero
It has been somewhat of a different pre-season for the Highlanders in 2019.
The men from the deep south have already lost star playmaker Lima Sopoaga, who has departed for greener pastures in England, and they are preparing for life without captain and club legend Ben Smith, who leaves for France at the end of the year.
Rumours continue to persist about other fan favourites joining Sopoaga and Smith overseas at the end of this campaign, with franchise record try-scorer Waisake Naholo at the forefront of those discussions as both London Irish and Wasps chase after his signature.
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Add to that a flurry of fresh faces, which includes the addition of new skills coach Riki Flutey, and the set-up in Dunedin is slightly different to what those who have been in the squad for the past few seasons are used to.
But ask injured prop Aki Seiuli how his teammates are dealing to those adjustments, and the 26-year-old indicates there is no decrease of hunger or work rate in pre-season training.
“The boys have been working hard,” he told RugbyPass at Tuesday’s post-Super Rugby season launch media session.
“[It’s been] a bit of a change. The majority of the boys are looking to put some size on, so it hasn’t been as hectic as the previous years from what I’ve seen, but [it’s] still pretty tough.”
One of the Highlanders’ key focuses during pre-season to help offset the franchise’s evolving surroundings is to build the team’s “connection”, which concentrates on concepts such as communication and trust within the squad, Seiuli said.
The work done in that facet of training showed during the side’s first of two pre-season matches, as the Highlanders walked away with a comprehensive 59-38 win over the Waratahs in Alexandra.
“First game, it’s never going to be what you want, but there were some promising results that came out of that game,” Seiuli said.
“[The] young boys stepped up, and I think leading into it, there was a big connection thing as well.
“We got out to Alexandra and we got billeted out to the families, and it was just a humbling camp, it kept the boys tight.
“It was good, I think that helped a lot with our win and getting the trust of everyone and keeping tight.”
Seiuli played no part in his team’s first-up win, as a ruptured ACL sustained during last year’s Mitre 10 Cup campaign means he won’t add to his 38 Super Rugby caps in 2019.
Instead, he plans on returning to action for Otago later in the year.
“The only good thing is there’s no pressure to return back and play, so I’ve got enough time to get it right,” he said.
“I should be running hopefully next week, when I see the surgeon, so everything’s all on track and hopefully I’ll get some good news next Tuesday.”
A bonus of spending time off the playing field is being able to assess the squad’s new recruits, and there is a noticeable returnee in the form of cult hero Marty Banks.
Seiuli and Banks played alongside each other throughout the 2016 and 2017 campaigns before the latter left for stints in Italy and Japan, but the return of the seasoned 29-year-old pivot should plug the gap left in the backline by Sopoaga.
“He’s integrated pretty smoothly,” Seiuli said.
“An experienced player like Marty, he offers a lot – not just to the team, but to the other two young first-fives, Bryan Gatland and Josh Ioane.
“He was the last guy to fill in that 10 spot, and he’s the perfect guy [for it]. The Highlanders love him there, and it’s good to have him back.
“There’s always healthy competition between the 10’s, so you never know who’s going to perform at any given time, and I’m sure they’ll all get their opportunities.”
The Highlanders conclude their pre-season schedule against the Crusaders in Southbridge this weekend, and will face the Chiefs in the first match of the regular season in Hamilton next Friday.
In other news:
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….
77 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.
57 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