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Highlanders name experimental side for Super Rugby opener
The Highlanders have named an experimental for their Super Rugby season-opener against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday.
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The starting side contains just five of the squad’s 11 All Blacks, with Liam Coltman, Tyrel Lomax, Jackson Hemopo, and co-captains Luke Whitelock and Ben Smith all selected.
82-test halfback Aaron Smith has also been named, but he, along with fellow All Blacks Shannon Frizell and Dillon Hunt, will appear from off the bench, while Waisake Naholo has missed the cut altogether.
Taking Smith’s place in the lineup is new Otago recruit Kayne Hammington, who gets a rare starting opportunity.
He will link up with fellow Otago playmaker Josh Ioane, who has won the battle for the starting first-five spot following the departure of long-serving pivot Lima Sopoaga.
23-year-old Ioane has just eight Super Rugby caps to his name, but has ousted the more experienced duo of Bryn Gatland and Marty Banks to don the number 10 jersey this weekend.
In the midfield, highly-touted youngster Thomas Umaga-Jensen starts in just his second-ever Super Rugby outing, combining with last year’s breakout star Rob Thompson.
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Highlanders tell me wing Tevita Nabura did the ACL in his right knee at training last week. Gone for the season.
— Paul Cully (@paulcullystuff) February 12, 2019
With Naholo not in the match day squad amid speculation of his impending move to London Irish, Matt Faddes starts on the right wing, forming a seasoned back three trio with Tevita Li and Ben Smith while reports suggest Tevita Nabura is out for the season after suffering an ACL injury at training.
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Up front, Ayden Johnstone will make his Super Rugby debut at loosehead prop after impressing for Waikato in the Mitre 10 Cup last year, and will be supported by All Black front rowers Coltman and Lomax.
With just four Super Rugby caps between them, Josh Dickson and Pari Pari Parkinson will join forces in the second row to create a vastly inexperienced partnership at this level.
The selection of Hemopo at blindside flanker is one full of intrigue.
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The three-test All Black has only ever started at lock for the Highlanders, yet he has ousted fellow All Blacks Liam Squire, Elliot Dixon and Frizell for the number six jersey in what is set to be a fierce battle for the position throughout the season.
Head coach Aaron Mauger was optimistic about his side’s chances heading into the clash.
“Clearly we are excited about the season getting underway,” he said.
“We have been counting down to this moment and we are looking forward to the opportunity of putting all the preseason hard work into an eighty-minute performance on Friday night against the Chiefs.”
The Chiefs are set to announce their side for the match later this afternoon.
Highlanders side to play the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday:
- Ayden Johnstone
- Liam Coltman
- Tyrel Lomax
- Pari Pari Parkinson
- Josh Dickson
- Jackson Hemopo
- James Lentjes
- Luke Whitelock (cc)
- Kayne Hammington
- Josh Ioane
- Tevita Li
- Thomas Umaga-Jensen
- Rob Thompson
- Matt Faddes
- Ben Smith (cc)
Reserves:
- Ash Dixon
- Daniel Lienert-Brown
- Siate Tokolahi
- Shannon Frizell
- Dillon Hunt
- Aaron Smith
- Bryn Gatland
- Patelesio Tomkinson
Comments on RugbyPass
I think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to comments