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Highlanders name team as they prepare to become the first side to play the Drua in Suva
It is the second week on tour for the Highlanders arriving in Fiji on Monday after travelling from the Super Round in Melbourne weekend.
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They have spent the week training and acclimatising to playing rugby in the hot and humid conditions which differ greatly to the autumnal Dunedin conditions they left a week ago.
This Saturday’s game at ANZ National Stadium in Suva will be another weekend for firsts as it will be the first time the Highlanders play the Fijian Drua and it will also be the first time the Fijian Drua play at home in Fiji.
They have been based in Australia for the earlier rounds of the DHL Super Rugby Pacific season.
An important game for both teams each having only one win this season. The Highlanders are expecting the Drua to rise to the occasion and will themselves be preparing to match that and put on a much needed 80-minute performance.
Highlander’s Head Coach Tony Brown is expecting a charged atmosphere as supporters come out to see the home side play for the first time.
“There are so many unique aspects to this game for both teams. We are expecting a very determined Fijian Drua team to turn up on Saturday, they will have plenty of home support from passionate fans that will be seeing their team at home for the very first time,” he said.
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“We are expecting a tough encounter, the Drua play an exciting and unpredictable style and will need to be at our best for the full eighty.”
The team for round 11 includes the return of Aaron Smith who will Captain the side after being unavailable for selection in round 10.
A new look loose forward trio sees Marino Mikaele-Tu’u back at number 8 and after a barnstorming performance last weekend, Christian Lio-Willie, earns a start in the number 6 jersey with Billy Harmon completing the trio at 7. Gareth Evans has returned to Dunedin after receiving an injury against the Brumbies in Melbourne.
The team will have extra motivation to achieve with this weekend’s game being Tony Brown’s 100th involved with the Highlander’s coaching team, a feat that he fell just shy of as a player (97 caps from 2016-11) and brings his cumulative coaching and playing total to 197 games.
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Alongside this, it is also Andrew Makalio’s 50th Super Rugby game. Andrew made his debut for the Highlanders this season after playing 43 games for the Crusaders between 2017 and 2021.
Highlanders v Fijian Drua – 4:00pm, Saturday 30th April, ANZ National Stadium, Suva, Fiji
- Daniel Lienert-Brown
- Andrew Makalio*
- Jermaine Ainsley
- Bryn Evans
- Sam Caird
- Christian Lio-Willie
- Billy Harmon
- Marino Mikaele-Tu’u
- Aaron Smith
- Mitch Hunt
- Scott Gregory
- Fetuli Paea
- Thomas Umaga Jensen
- Sam Gilbert
- Connor Garden Bachop
Reserves
16. Rhys Marshall
17. Ethan de Groot
18. Josh Hohneck
19. Max Hicks
20. James Lentjes
21. Folau Fakatava
22. Marty Banks
23. Hugh Renton
-Press Release/Highlanders
Comments on RugbyPass
Says much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
2 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
23 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
23 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
23 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
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