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
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
65 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments