Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Highlanders welcome back exciting youngster for Crusaders clash

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Highlanders have welcomed back exciting youngster Connor Garden-Bachop from a long-term injury for this weekend’s clash against the Crusaders.

ADVERTISEMENT

The match will be the first Garden-Bachop has played for the Highlanders since last year’s extra-time defeat at the hands of the Chiefs after a broken wrist ruled him out for the remainder of his side’s 2021 Super Rugby campaign.

That injury brought a premature end to a standout debut season for the 22-year-old outside back, who was a strong contender for the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa Rookie of the Year title after some impressive performances on the right wing and at fullback.

Video Spacer

Los Pumas star Pablo Matera opens up on move to Crusaders | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

Video Spacer

Los Pumas star Pablo Matera opens up on move to Crusaders | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

It’s in the No 15 jersey where Garden-Bachop will line up for the Highlanders this Friday as one of only two changes made to the starting lineup by head coach Tony Brown following their Super Rugby Pacific season-opening loss to the Chiefs last week.

Garden-Bachop’s selection at fullback has forced Sam Gilbert onto the right wing in place of Mosese Dawai, while midfielder Thomas Umaga-Jensen has been named to start at second-five in place of Scott Gregory.

Umaga-Jensen impressed with his efforts off the bench in his side’s 26-16 defeat to the Chiefs, and has duly been rewarded as he looks to continue his highly-touted midfield partnership with two-test Tongan international Fetuli Paea.

Only one further change has been made in the reserves, with loose forward Hugh Renton filling the No 23 jersey vacated by Umaga-Jensen.

ADVERTISEMENT

New recruit and former Crusaders hooker Andrew Makalio (calf) is the only player unavailable due to injury.

Friday’s South Island derby will be the Highlanders’ first under the roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium this season, although no fans will be in attendance under New Zealand’s current red light Covid setting.

In a statement, Brown said he was disappointed his side’s first game of the year at their home ground will be played behind closed doors, but remained optimistic about the attendance of fans in the future.

“Naturally we would love to be playing our first home game in front of a packed stadium, we love it when Forsyth Barr is full and really thrive off the energy from our fans,” he said via a statement.

ADVERTISEMENT

“However, we know we got a job to do and will be focused on that this weekend. We’re hopeful that we will get back to playing in front of a full stadium soon.”

Kick-off for Friday’s match between the local rivals is scheduled for 7:05pm.

Highlanders team to play the Crusaders

1. Ethan de Groot
2. Liam Coltman
3. Jermaine Ainsley
4. Manaaki Selby-Rickit
5. Josh Dickson
6. Shannon Frizell
7. James Lentjes (vc)
8. Gareth Evans
9. Aaron Smith (c)
10. Mitch Hunt (vc)
11. Josh Timu
12. Thomas Umaga-Jensen
13. Fetuli Paea
14. Sam Gilbert
15. Connor Garden-Bachop

Reserves

16. Rhys Marshall
17. Daniel Lienert-Brown
18. Josh Hohneck
19. Bryn Evans
20. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u
21. Folau Fakatava
22. Marty Banks
23. Hugh Renton

ADVERTISEMENT
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

f
fl 19 minutes ago
Ex-Wallaby laughs off claims Bath are amongst the best in the world

“Yes I wrote that, because you had Leinster as the best team in the world. What was that based on - winning the URC this season?”

It was based on Leinster’s performances over the course of this season, and on their trophy. If Bordeaux beat Toulouse then I’ll change my mind and move them to first. But as it is I expect Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Leinster to all finish with one trophy each, and with Leinster having produced the best week-on-week performances of the three.


“One of those teams won the league in each of those years so yes they were worse. If I was a fan of either of those four teams I would rather have been a fan of a team that won a trophy than didn’t.”

That’s true - I would too. With regard to Stormers I think their trophy was very much enabled by the fact that they weren’t playing in europe, so were able to rest their players much more than the non-SA teams were so I’m not sure whether I would or wouldn’t consider them to have had a better season than Leinster in 2022, but clearly Munster and Glasgow (respectively) had better seasons than Leinster in 2023 and 2024. But if I was a fan of one of those 3 teams I would rather be a fan of a team that won 66 URC+CC matches over the course of 3 seasons (Leinster) than a team that won 46 (Munster) or 42 (Glasgow). If you think trophies are literally the only thing that matters, do you think Blackburn Rovers are a more successful Premier League team than Tottenham Hotspur are?


“You contradict yourself alot. Trophies matter in one post and in the same post coming second consistently makes you better.”

Its going to get really frustrating if you’re not willing to read what I write. I said: “Trophies matter. They matter a lot. But so does winning games. So does making finals.” How does that contradict my assessment that Leinster were better than Stormers?


“I doubt Leinster would say they have been the better team in any of the seasons you keep going on about.”

Teams generally downplay talk of them being the best, so that wouldn’t surprise me. But crucially I don’t think Leinster were the best team in 2022, or in 2023, or in 2024, so I’m not sure what you think you’re responding to.


“Lets make it clear though - you are the one who went on and on about previous seasons with your deep dive into la Rochelle and Stormers etc.”

Yeah - I did that because you brought up Leinster’s trophyless record from 2022-2024, so I thought that was worth responding to. If you’d like though I can stop responding to the things you say?

22 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Chiefs name 10 All Blacks in starting XV for Super Rugby Pacific final Chiefs name Super Rugby Pacific final team
Search