Highlanders re-shuffle backline for Blues clash as Josh Ioane returns to starting side
The majority of the match day squad that came from behind to beat the Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato a fortnight ago has been retained by the Highlanders for this Sunday’s clash with the Blues.
There has, however, been a backline re-shuffle that has seen the return of All Blacks playmaker Josh Ioane to the starting side for the first time since Super Rugby Aotearoa kicked off.
Fully recovered from a niggling groin injury, Ioane made his first appearance for the Dunedin club off the bench in the last-gasp 33-31 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton, and has now been named in the No. 10 jersey for the first time this year.
The one-test star had previously been named to start at second-five and fullback in all his other outings for the Highlanders throughout 2020, but the team’s coaching staff have outlined their intent to maintain the 24-year-old in his preferred position.
“Josh, we see him coming on an impacting the game from No. 10,” Highlanders assistant coach Tony Brown said on Wednesday.
“Whether he starts there or comes off the bench there is still to be decided, but we don’t see moving him to fullback or second-five at this stage.”
His re-implementation in the pivot role forces his replacement Mitch Hunt, who has found himself in career-best form at this level over the past few weeks, to revert back to fullback, as he did when Ioane was brought onto the field last week.
“Mitch has been outstanding for us and has really flourished with regular game time,” head coach Aaron Mauger said in a statement.
“We are truly blessed with the standard of first-fives we have in our squad and I would be confident with any of the three of them at the helm.
“Josh deserves his chance though as he has worked very hard to get back to full fitness and we saw some nice touches from him against the Chiefs.”
Halfback heaven. https://t.co/lvJBscFsQK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 30, 2020
That in-game re-shuffle also sparked a change in the midfield, with fullback Michael Collins moving into centre – the position of which he started his career in – in place of the out-of-sorts Rob Thompson.
Collins will now start at No. 13 to form a new midfield partnership with Sio Tomkinson, with Mauger highlighting the benefits the 27-year-old will bring from the position.
“Michael has been in good form, making good decisions and we believe he can make a real impact on the game from there,” Mauger said.
The only other alteration to the team comes on the bench, where third-string first-five Bryn Gatland fills the void left by Ioane in the No. 22 jersey.
As reported earlier this week, former All Blacks star Nehe Milner-Skudder remains out of the selection frame for the time being as he works his way back from a long-term shoulder injury.
Signs appear promising as he returns to full contact training for the first time since signing with the Highlanders in May, but Brown indicated on Wednesday that the 29-year-old might not play for the franchise until next year.
“It would have been great to get Nehe out there three or four weeks ago, but we’ve just got to make sure that he’s a hundred percent confident in his shoulder,” Brown said.
“He’s been through the work, and if he can prove that he is good enough to fit into the side, then we’ll select him.”
The Highlanders will be aiming to retain the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy at Forsyth Barr Stadium, having not lost the highly-sought silverware since 2012.
Additionally, victory would keep their faint Super Rugby Aotearoa title chances alive while also putting a significant dent in the Blues’ aspirations of ending their 17-year championship drought.
Highlanders team to face Blues:
1. Ayden Johnstone, 2. Ash Dixon (cc), 3. Jeff Thwaites, 4. Pari Pari Parkinson, 5. Jack Whetton, 6. Shannon Frizell, 7. Dillon Hunt, 8. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 9. Aaron Smith (cc), 10. Josh Ioane, 11. Scott Gregory, 12. Patelesio Tomkinson, 13. Michael Collins, 14. Josh McKay, 15. Mitch Hunt
Reserves: 16. Liam Coltman, 17. Ethan De Groot, 18. Siate Tokolahi, 19. Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20. Jesse Parete, 21. Folau Fakatava, 22. Bryn Gatland, 23. Jona Nareki
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments