Highlanders player ratings vs Chiefs | Super Rugby Pacific
The Highlanders have fallen to the Chiefs 26-16 in their first match of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season at Wakatipu Rugby Club in Queenstown.
In a rusty performance, the Highlanders couldn’t assert their authority over their domestic rivals as they opened their campaign with a disappointing defeat in their own backyard.
With that in mind, here’s how the southerners rated:
1. Ethan de Groot – 5
A mixed bag for the four-test All Black. Showed some deft touches in the backline, but was equally liable to some handling errors, one of which ultimately led to Sam Cane’s try. Anchored the scrum well. Off in the 50th minute.
2. Liam Coltman – 7
A mostly strong performance by the ex-All Black as a lineout thrower, something that has been a weakness of his game in recent times. An energetic showing around the park. Off in the 63rd minute.
3. Jermaine Ainsley – 7
Showed his prowess as a ball-running front rower, showing some tidy footwork for a big man, although he did give away an innocuous obstruction penalty that resulted in Pita Gus Sowakula’s try. The former Wallabies prop held his own at the scrum. Off in the 63rd minute.
4. Manaaki Selby-Rickit – 6
Showed some good toe out wide to keep pace with Josh Ioane when presented with an early try-scoring opportunity. Looks a good fit for the Highlanders in the injury-enforced absence of Pari Pari Parkinson. Off in the 54th minute.
5. Josh Dickson – 5
Busy on defence with 14 tackles, and won the most lineouts for the Highlanders, but not much else to write home about.
6. Shannon Frizell – 6
Carried strongly throughout, although he couldn’t quite punch through the defensive line as he would have hoped. Can’t question his commitment and effort with ball in hand, though. One lineout steal to his name. Off in the 54th minute.
7. James Lentjes – 5
Dropped Dawai’s offload in one of the opening passages of play, and then did the same when Ainsley looked to put him into space from a half-break in the middle of the park. Looked to have scored his side’s first try, but was denied by Fetuli Paea’s forward pass. Topped his side’s tackle count with 17.
8. Gareth Evans – 6
Produced a quality lineout steal to relieve his side of some pressure during the first half, but was arguably the most ill-disciplined Highlanders in the first half. Still managed a decent showing in his first appearance back at the Highlanders since 2017.
9. Aaron Smith (c) – 5
Directed the backline sharply early on, but faded away as the first half wore on. Outplayed by his opposite, Smith was also guilty of a defensive misread that enabled Sowakula to skip over the top of him and score off the back of a scrum from five metres out. Hardly a vintage performance, which could be put down to early season rust. Off in the 56th minute.
10. Mitch Hunt – 5
An understated performance by the franchise’s main playmaker. Stood up by Xavier Roe in the lead-up to Cane’s try, and then guilty of a wayward clearing kick. Certainly not his best work, and he will look for an improved effort next week.
11. Josh Timu – 6.5
Lively all match long and hardly put a foot wrong. Proved that the Highlanders coaches were right to entrust him with a surprise starting role, but he will be eager for better service from his insides next time round.
12. Scott Gregory – 6
Ran hard and straight, but wasn’t given a strong platform to shine on as he did in last year’s Super Rugby Trans-Tasman in the first half. Switched to the wing at half-time, but his involvement out wide was limited.
13. Fetuli Paea – 4
Virtually absent in the first half. Very little to write home about in the opening 40 minutes. Burned badly by Sowakula as he broke the lineup to instigate the attack that resulted in Emoni Narawa’s try. Looked to have shown good hands under pressure to set Gregory away for Lentjes’ try, but his pass was later ruled to have been forward.
14. Mosese Dawai – 3
Not the Super Rugby debut he would have envisaged. His first touch was a misguided offload to Lentjes, and he was then held up off the ground by a raft of Chiefs defenders shortly afterwards. Another loose offload not long after that halted his side’s momentum, while a wayward chip and chase saw the ball sail into touch on the full. Off at half-time.
15. Sam Gilbert – 6
Largely quiet in the first half, except for a dodgy tip tackle on Jonah Lowe deep inside his own half, which piled more pressure on his side and eventually led to Pita Gus Sowakula’s try. Was reliable, for the most part, under the high ball and owned his role as one of his side’s primary kickers in general play.
Reserves
16. Rhys Marshall – 6
On in the 63rd minute. Added some impetus and looked to get his mitts on the ball frequently.
17. Daniel Lienert-Brown – 7
On in the 50th minute. Pinged for wheeling the scrum when the Highlanders were in a prime attacking opportunity, although he can feel hard done by that call. Redeemed himself shortly afterwards with a clutch piece of defensive work at the breakdown to win his side a penalty just 10 metres from their own line. Rewarded with a try in the 69th minute.
18. Josh Hohneck – 6
On in the 63rd minute. Carried strongly.
19. Bryn Evans – 5
On in the 54th minute. Tried a tricky lineout play with Coltman upon his induction into the match, but a sloppy pass brought the play to a standstill. Received plenty of medical attention with a series of niggles.
20. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u – 6
On in the 50th minute. Was surprisingly benched for the season-opener, and probably should start next week given the power he offers with ball in hand. Didn’t get too many chances to show that against the Chiefs, but he acquitted himself well enough.
21. Folau Fakatava – 6.5
On in the 56th minute. Looked to challenge the Chiefs’ defence with his typical sniping runs and sped the pace of the game up a bit, but couldn’t quite conjure up his best work. Outpaced by Samisoni Taukei’aho in a foot race for the ball, which is perhaps an indication that he is still working his way back into from from the ACL injury that sidelined him for much of last year.
22. Marty Banks – N/A
23. Thomas Umaga-Jensen – 7.5
On at half-time. Introduced himself impressively by earning a breakdown penalty within the first five minutes of the second half. Followed it up with a barnstorming carry through the midfield to put the Chiefs on the back foot in the 56th minute. Was by far the most impactful Highlanders substitute and should really start next week.
Comments on RugbyPass
We 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
60 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.
60 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
60 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
60 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
60 Go to comments