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Highlanders Player Rating v Blues | Super Rugby Pacific

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

For their season opener, the Highlanders welcome the Blues to Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin to kick off their 2023 campaign. In front of a boisterous home crowd, The Blues punished the Highlanders early, piling on the points in the first half.

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From there the Highlanders were hard-pressed to wrestle back any advantage. The Highlanders had a chance at halftime after scoring two quick tries, but ill-discipline and thier inability to get over the gainline stifled any momuntum they were able to build. In the end they were comprehensively kept out of the game and were exposed easily by the Blues in defence.

While the Highlanders struggled, there were a few bright spots. Here’s how the Highlanders rated.

 

1. Ethan de Groot – 6

Proved difficult to bring down with some powerful runs in tight. His scrummaging continues to be a major asset to the Highlanders team.

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2. Rhys Marshall – 5

Was on target from all his throws at lineout time, contributing to a good out by his locks. In the first half he threw a wayward offload that resulted in a Caleb Clarke try at the other end of the park.

3. Jermaine Ainsley – 4

Very solid at scrum time, gaining the Highlanders ascendancy at the set piece. Got close to the tryline right on half time but was held up over the line.

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4. Paripari Parkinson – 4

Carried plenty for his team, with varying degrees of success. Was part of a forward pack that struggled to get over the gainline and keep possession. Was perfect at lineout time, winning four of his receptions.

5. Josh Dickson – 5

Not a glamorous performance but every team needs a hard-working lock like Dickson. Won all the lineout throws that went his way, made 14 tackles and carried it 10 times. His support off the ball was impressive, supporting his team at the breakdown. He did concede two penalties and missed three tackles.

6. Shannon Frizell – 5

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Got the Highlanders over the advantage line for the Highlanders at times during the match. Operated as the general at the back of the scrum and controlled his forward pack well to keep the ball in tight. Delivered an offload from the scrum to put in Timu for a try which kept the Highlanders in touch.

7. Billy Harmon – 6.5

Skippering the team, Harmon showed heart and determination, leading by example by taking the hard carries into contact. He caused the Blues headaches by battling away at the breakdown.

8. Marino Mikaele Tu’u – N/A

Left the field with a painful-looking rib injury in the 3rd minute.

9. Folau Fakatava – 6.5

Returned from an ACL injury sustained last year. Early in the game, Fakatava challenged the Blues forwards around the ruck with sniping runs. Tried to spark his team into action but couldn’t rally his troops when it counted. Unlucky not to be awarded a try after it was deemed a double-movement.

10. Mitch Hunt – 4.5

Was pressured a lot by the Blues fast rush defence. Scored the Highlanders opening try, which sparked a minor comeback by the Highlanders just before half time. He wasn’t a huge driver of ball play for the Highlanders, opting to shovel it to centres in an attempt to crack the line.

11. Connor Garden-Bachop – 4

Started on the wing, replacing Jona Nareki who was pulled from the team with an injury just before kick-off. Had a hard time containing Mark Telea, who ran rampart on the Highlanders. Put in a handy little kick right on half time to pin the Blues on their own tryline. It eventually lead to a Highlanders try.

12. Thomas Umaga-Jensen – 4.5

Showed glimpses of his power by making some hard runs into the teeth of the Blues defence but was well contained by his opposition centres. Made nine carries for 15 hard-fought metres.

13. Josh Timu – 4

Wasn’t afforded much time and space by the opposition. Scored an important try right on half time to give the Highlanders a sniff but wasn’t able to enforce himself on the game, only managing 20 metres from nine carries.

14. Jonah Lowe – 4

Didn’t get many opportunities with ball in hand to demonstrate his speed and evasiveness. He was outshone by his opposite number in Caleb Clarke.

15. Sam Gilbert – 4.5

Was the Highlanders main goal kicker. Carried eight times for 54 metres.

 

Replacements:

16. Andrew Makalio – 3

Entered the fray in the 52nd minute to replace Marshall.

17. Daniel Lienert-Brown – 3

Entered the fray in the 52nd minute to replace De Groot.

18. Saula M 3a’u – 2

Replaced Ainsley in the 58th minute.

19. Will Tucker – 3

Came on in the 55th minute for his Super Rugby debut.

20. Sean Withy – 6

Came on earlier than expected to replace Mikaele Tu’u and performed admirably. Led his team in the tackle with 18, only missing one.

21. Kemara Hauiti Parapara – N/A

Debuted in the 72nd minute.

22. Freddie Burns – N/A

The English playmaker came on in the 63rd minute for his first ever Super Rugby game but couldn’t provide the spark.

23. Martin Bogado – 2

Came on for his Super Rugby debut in the 59th minute.

 

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Eliza Galloway 35 minutes ago
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JW 1 hour ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

Lol you need to shoot your editor for that headline, even I near skipped the article.


France simply need to go to a league format for the Brennus, that will shave two weekends of pointless knockout rugby from their season and raise the competitions standards and mystique no end.


The under age loophole is also a easy door to shut, just remove the lower age limit. WR simply never envisioned a day were teams would target people under the age of 17 or whatever it is now, but much like with Rassie and his use of subs bench, that day was obviously always going to come. I can’t remember how football does it, I think it’s the other way around with them, you can’t sign anyone younger than that but unions can’t stop 17 or 18 yo’s from leaving for a pro club if they want to. There is a transaction that takes place of a few hundred thousand for a normal average player. I’d prefer rugby to be stricter and just keep the union bodies signoff being required.


What really was their problem with Kite and co leaving though? Do we really need a game dominated by Internationals? I even think WR’s proposed calendar might be a bit too much, with at minimum 12 top tier games being played in the World Championship. I think 10 to 12, maybe any one player playing 10 of those 12 is the best way to think of it, for every international team is max, so that they can allow their domestic comps to shine if they want, and other nations like Japan and Fiji can, even some of the home nations maybe, and fill out their calendar with extra tours if they like them as a way to make money. As it is RA don’t have as good a pathway system, so they could simply buy back those players if they turn good. Are they worried they’ll be less likely to? We wait for baited breath for the new season to be laid out in front of us by WR.

It could impose sanctions on the Fédération Française de Rugby, but the body which runs the Top 14 and the ProD2, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby, is entirely independent.

It’s not independent at all. The LNR is a body under, and commissioned by, the FFR (and Government control) to mediate the clubs. FFR can simply install a new club competition if they don’t listen, then you’d see whether the players want to stay at any club who doesn’t tow the line and move to the new competition, as they obviously wouldn’t fall under the auspice of world rugby. They would be rebels, which is fine in and upon itself, but they would isolate themselves from the rest of the game and would need to be OK with that. I have no doubt whatsoever that clubs would have to and want to fall in line to remain part of the EPCR and French rugby. Probably even the last thing they would want is to compete with another French domestic competition that has all the advantages they don’t.


All those players would do good for a few seasons in France, especially the fringe ones, with thankfully zero risk of them being poached if they turn good. New Zealand had a turn at keeping all of it’s talent, and while it upticked the competitiveness of the Super Rugby teams into a total dominance of Australian and South African counterparts (who were suffering more heavily than most the other way at that stage), it didn’t have as positive an effect on the next step up as ensuring young talents development is not hindered does. Essentially NZR flooded the locate market with players but inevitably it didn’t think the local economy could sustain any more pro teams itself, so now we are seeing a normal amount of exodus for the availability of places again. Are Australia in exactly the same footing? I think so, finances where dicey for a while perhaps but I doubt they are putting money constraints on their contracting now. It’s purely about who leaves to open up opportunity.

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