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.
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.
“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.
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
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments