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Super Rugby Pacific

Highlanders and Moana Pasifika name teams for pre-season fixture

By Ned Lester
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

The very first game of 2024’s Super Rugby Pacific pre-season kicks off in Queenstown on Friday (6pm NZT) with a match between the Highlanders and Moana Pasifika.

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Two of the bottom four finishers in the 2023 season, both sides will be out to prove a point in 2024 while recovering from some significant losses in personnel.

All Blacks Aaron Smith and Shannon Frizell have departed the Highlanders while Levi Aumua and Timoci Tavatavanawai are the big absentees for Moana this year. The latter of those players will feature off the bench against his former club on Friday, having joined the Highlanders this offseason.

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While the Highlanders have named a starting unit and 14 reserves for the contest, the visiting Moana side have named an XV for each of the game’s quarters.

New Moana Pasifika recruit and former world champion with the All Blacks Julian Savea is set to feature in the second and third quarters of the game. Having made a name for himself on the left wing, Savea has expanded his skillset to include the midfield in recent years and will take the field at second five-eighth on Friday.

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Highlanders team to face Moana Pasifika

1. Rohan Wingham
2. Henry Bell
3. Saula Ma’u
4. Pari Pari Parkinson
5. Max Hicks
6. Oliver Haig
7. Sean Withy (c)
8. Blair Ryall
9. Folau Fakatava
10. Rhys Patchell
11. Josh Whaanga
12. Matt Whaanga
13. Tanielu Tele’a
14. Jonah Lowe
15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

Reserves: Solomone Tukuafu, Jack Taylor, Jermaine Ainsley, Hugo Plummer, Billy Harmon, Hayden Michaels, Will Stodart, James Arscott, Cameron Millar, Jona Nareki, Sam Gilbert, Tevita Latu, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Martín Bogado

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Moana Pasifika team to face Highlanders

First 20-minute block

  1. James Lay (c)
  2. Sama Malolo
  3. Sekope Kepu
  4. Tom Savage
  5. Ofa Tauatevalu
  6. Irie Papuni
  7. Alamanda Motuga
  8. Iakopo Mapu
  9. Aisea Halo
  10. William Havili
  11. Tuna Tuitama
  12. Henry Taefu
  13. Pepesana Patafilo
  14. Viliame Fine
  15. Danny Toala

Second 20-minute block

  1. Abraham Pole
  2. Sama Malolo / Samiuela Moli
  3. Sekope Kepu (c) / Sione Mafileo
  4. Tom Savage
  5. Ofa Tauatevalu
  6. Irie Papuni
  7. Alamanda Motuga
  8. Iakopo Mapu
  9. Aisea Halo / Siaosi Nginingini
  10. William Havili / D’Angelo Leuila
  11. Tuna Tuitama
  12. Henry Taefu / Julian Savea (c)
  13. Pepesana Patafilo
  14. Kyren Taumoefolau
  15. Danny Toala

Third 20-minute block

  1. Abraham Pole / Sateki Latu
  2. Samiuela Moli
  3. Sione Mafileo
  4. Samuel Slade
  5. Allan Craig
  6. Miracle Faiilagi
  7. Sione Havili-Talitui (c)
  8. Semisi Paea
  9. Siaosi Nginingini
  10. D’Angelo Leuila
  11. Anzelo Tuitavuki
  12. Julian Savea
  13. Neria Fomai
  14. Nigel Ah Wong
  15. Kyren Taumoefolau

Fourth 20-minute block

  1. Sateki Latu
  2. Tomasi Maka
  3. Suetena Asouma
  4. Samuel Slade
  5. Allan Craig
  6. Miracle Faiilagi
  7. Sione Havili-Talitui (c)
  8. Semisi Paea
  9. Ereatara Enari
  10. Christian Lealiifano
  11. Anzelo Tuitavuki
  12. Neria Fomai
  13. Nigel Ah Wong
  14. Viliame Fine
  15. Kyren Taumoefolau

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Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 10 minutes ago
Near full strength Leinster maintain 100 per cent start to season

I really like how he referred to them as Ireland.

7 Go to comments
J
JW 11 minutes ago
Near full strength Leinster maintain 100 per cent start to season

Hmm, doable for Jordie. I looked the look of him though, actually surprised he didn't tour now that I see his name again.

7 Go to comments
J
JW 13 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

Haha and don't forget JHB though one was a back?!

110 Go to comments
J
JW 15 minutes ago
Nigel Owens' verdict on the 20-minute red card trial

Yeah totally, that too. But I'm for change, I'd prefer they even have a more agile approach to laws, because then we'll get close to this nirvana you're talking about and it can all stop and nothing changes after that.


I want to remove the knock on, it creates too much mess and whats the point? Only the deliberate knock on/intercept like, law remains, think the game would ever accept that lol

15 Go to comments
J
JW 20 minutes ago
South Africa should be everyone's second favourite team

Yes, exactly. Much harder to play both sides of the ball with such accuracy theyre known for, and much harder to know when to blitz as a team and when not (which I think is what they try now rather than just all always coming up?).

70 Go to comments
J
JW 25 minutes ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

NZ pulled a couple of very good kick chase games off last year. The second half in Auckland against the boks I remember. Most were around halfway (just on their side) I think, were I agree, this year for the boks for instance that is mostly on their own 40m line (or more towards their own line). Even between those two success', I'd say a 10 meter difference in the area they want to land them. They seemed to stop using the tactic last year after Jordan got carded.


I think they have always preferred to give their opponents a chance to run the ball back at them, yes. What is being see is that it's not successful these days (mostly because other teams are much more confident playing like NZ these days), and the kick chase is being critised as inaccurate. I'm not buying that, at least not yet. Beauden certainly didn't achieve anything better did he?


Yeah, interesting. I'm not really sure what number best reflects what I like, but on review I do see the number increasing for runs. The games they were in control, England series and the first SA test, they were 1:6 or under. The game at Eden Park in the pouring rain they showed the ability to control the game by foot at 1:4 (1:8, like you say, the previous week).


Really interesting. I'm not going to even begin to give a cause for that, they weren't behind in the Eden Park loss, but only had 4 22 entries. They may have lost structure towards the end but it could also have just been the change at 9 to Ratima that changed the kicking dynamic game to game.


I've heard a few grand but obviously that could be in anything. Yeah I think they'd give a quote based on what you use it for?

110 Go to comments
S
SC 27 minutes ago
You wonder if Beauden Barrett will ever own the All Blacks at a Rugby World Cup

Barrett has been to 3 World Cups. He will not make it to a fourth at age 37 at any position. Time has run out.

5 Go to comments
S
SM 30 minutes ago
You wonder if Beauden Barrett will ever own the All Blacks at a Rugby World Cup

He's the best ten in the country, Dmac is 29 who won't pass until he's used up all the space time to send him back to the chiefs, they love him.

5 Go to comments
D
DH 40 minutes ago
England ace scores brace of tries as Saracens go top

By PA? It's obviously written by Fissler... why write PA. Weird.

1 Go to comments
M
MattJH 1 hour ago
You wonder if Beauden Barrett will ever own the All Blacks at a Rugby World Cup

He was good on Saturday, but he doesn’t hold defenders with square enough shoulders in my opinion.

Beauden tends to telegraph his passes, shovelling the ball along with the defender to the next carrier.

Dmac will own it, just needs a season or two at ten.

Or not. Give it to someone else and give them a season or two in the seat.

Or not.

Keep firing tens until someone comes along who can play international quality rugby straight away.

Just be prepared that could take a year or ten.

5 Go to comments
E
Ed Pye 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

hmm interesting. If those kicks are going where he wants them then what is the strategy? They don't gain territory as the opposition often counter to the center of the field. Is he looking for a counter ruck after the player is tackled?


With his kick-pass stats, in pressure games like v SA they are higher (1:8+). If you compare it to SA, their flyhalves are much lower than that, so they are playing more pragmatic rugby.


With goal kicking, I dont know if hes come to terms with shot clock pressure yet.

Timing out on goal kicks is not really a 😎 look but his attacking skills are so he has to be in there somewhere, the big question is in what role?


How much does Opta cost? Its difficult to find info on their site

110 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

Thank your for bring a reasoned professional opinion too. So often the discussion goes "but McKenzie played more minutes" to "but McKeznie ran far too much", happy to contort the argument one way based on the amount of opportunity but not the other.

110 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

Quite right, and the worst part is that it was in reply to someone else's inciting article.

110 Go to comments
B
BM 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

true but if we react to mitchells diatrjbe we're banned

110 Go to comments
P
Phill 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

The fact that articles like this are published to incite divide amongst people is against the spirit of the game. To quote Nigel Owens, " the soccer stadium is about 500 yards that way." This type of divisive rubbish isn't how a rugby man represents himself.

110 Go to comments
B
Bruiser 1 hour ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

He isnt playing his normal instinctive game. Thats messaging from the coaches around changing his game....he needs the balance to be more back towards instinctive instead of play safe most of the time. He will find the balance naturally in his own way. Mounaga took years to find his feet as well, balancing the same thoughts in his head.

110 Go to comments
L
LB 1 hour ago
Former All Black’s surprise praise for NPC versus Super Rugby Pacific

Agreed some of the Ranfurly shield games have had a test match feel to them.


Its sad that about 70% of the professional rugby in nz is only played in the cities when rugby is loved in the provinces.


You also see in the NPC players from the grassroot clubs get a run around rather than just the out of school recruits. I don't why we only recruit from schools for super rugby, club rugby can be more intense and high pressure than some of the school games and should be a pathway to professional rugby too

8 Go to comments
h
hm 2 hours ago
It's time to stop hating on Damian McKenzie, the best 10 in the Championship

amen ben 🙏

110 Go to comments
H
Hellhound 2 hours ago
Seven-try Bulls make it another miserable URC away day for Ulster

2/2. Looks good but rusty. Left a few points out there and got a bit comfortable in the last 20 minutes. My Bulls needs to get fit fast

1 Go to comments
L
LB 2 hours ago
You wonder if Beauden Barrett will ever own the All Blacks at a Rugby World Cup

This all started simply because Barrett missed a few conversions in Rassie's first win against the all blacks in 2018. Not only was Barrett forbidden from playing 10 or taking another conversion for many a games , but Hansen changed the whole backline and abandoned the gameplan he had been building since 2016. It forced out Ben Smith and all fullback contenders for the next five years. Suddenly the 2018 northern tour became all about kicking drop goals, which meant nothing when England were up 19-7

.

I don't know if it was Rassie's plan but that 2018 win in Wellington seemed to throw the all blacks out of spin for years. Imagine if as a result of Libbok missing the penalty against the Pumas, Rassie panickly changed his whole backline a year out from the world cup and abandoned his whole strategy he has been building with Tony Brown.

5 Go to comments
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