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Super Rugby Pacific

Highlanders welcome back a handful of familiar faces for Force

By Ned Lester
Mitchell Dunshea. (Photo by Andrew Cornaga/Photosport)

Highlanders coach Clark Dermody is eager for a response from his team following a goose-egg performance against the Reds in round nine, so will be pleased to welcome a number of players back to full health this week.

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Lock Mitch Dunshea is set for his Highlanders debut having joined the team from the Crusaders over the offseason and recovering from his 2023 Achilles injury. He’ll partner young Fabian Holland in the second row.

The loose-forward trio of Oliver Haig, Sean Withy and captain Billy Harmon is retained for the contest, but No. 8 Hugh Renton will make his return from injury off the bench.

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Sam Whitelock on the hurt of the 2023 RWC final

Sam Whitelock on the narrow loss to the Springboks. Watch the full interview on RugbyPass TV now.

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Sam Whitelock on the hurt of the 2023 RWC final

Sam Whitelock on the narrow loss to the Springboks. Watch the full interview on RugbyPass TV now.

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Welsh first five-eighth Rhys Patchell returns to the No. 10 jersey, moving Cam Millar to the bench. Jake Te Hiwi lines up outside Patchell in the No. 12 jersey for the contest, stepping in for the rested Sam Gilbert.

Connor Garden-Bachop shifts to the left wing to make way for Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens at fullback to complete the changes in the squad.

“We’re working hard to take the learnings from each of our matches forward to the next game. We have focussed on getting our fundamentals right, ensuring our set-piece is sound and our collective mindset on track,” said Highlanders head coach Clarke Dermody.

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Highlanders team to face the Western Force

  1. Ethan de Groot
  2. Henry Bell
  3. Saula Ma’u
  4. Mitch Dunshea
  5. Fabian Holland
  6. Oliver Haig
  7. Sean Withy
  8. Billy Harmon (C)
  9. Folau Fakatava
  10. Rhys Patchell
  11. Connor Garden-Bachop
  12. Jake Te Hiwi
  13. Tanielu Tele’a
  14. Timoci Tavatavanawai
  15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

 RESERVES

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16. Jack Taylor
17. Daniel Lienert-Brown
18. Jermaine Ainsley
19. Will Tucker
20. Hugh Renton
21. James Arscott
22. Cameron Millar
23. Martín Bogado

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Comments on RugbyPass

S
SK 24 minutes ago
The 'massive challenge' seperating All Blacks and Sprigboks transitions

SA will transition in stages. Through the PONI program they have already begun their transition. They will need to develop 15-20 players in the next three years and put 20 to 40 caps on each of these players while phasing out the guys no longer relevant. I reckon they have already started that with bringing in several youngsters or fringe players in and giving them caps. Then through their structures and alignment camps they have identified a group to select from going forward. Transition will happen in phases and I reckon this year we will see just a handful of new faces which we already have. The largest change will come in 2026 where you will see all 15-20 new players lining up regularly picking up caps. Whether its enough to win in 2027 is anyones guess but I would say they will be in a similar position to France heading into last years world cup. I think the teams most likely to peak in 2027 will be the All Blacks, France and England as they are already building around a young core and will be the most experienced and cohesive groups going into 2027. Ofcourse SA will retain a core group of their golden generation but whether or not they win in 2027 will depend on how they transition.

3 Go to comments
S
SK 36 minutes ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

Libbok is the best all court player, he has the most slick distribution and knows how to put players in space but lets be honest, Libbok could not hit a barn door with a shotgun. He is really poor off the tee in any conditions that resemble a challenge. Mgomezulu has to play in the same team as him so he can kick for posts. Apart from that there is a real case to have Mgomezulu in because of his attacking quality. He has to be a fullback or a centre to support him or Faf has to kick but Faf is not a long term option because he is getting on in age. The ideal would be to have Nohamba in the team because now you have a kicking scrum half who is quite reliable with the boot and who has a crisp service but the problem is his defensive weaknesses are well documented. De Allende is all class but does he make the team at the next world cup? He will be 35 or 36 at that time and thats hardly a good age for a 12. The option for me is to shift Willemse to 12, let Mgomezulu play 15, and start Libbok. That will be the combo in 2026 that seems the most versatile and hopefully Nohamba comes along and plays 9.

36 Go to comments
J
Jmann 1 hours ago
The 'massive challenge' seperating All Blacks and Sprigboks transitions

SA must go through the same as the peerless 2008-2017 NZ team did. And although they have never reached the same heights as Rugby’s GOAT team. They will face the same fate.

3 Go to comments
A
Ardy 6 hours ago
Why decision-making must stay with the referee on the field, not the person in a room

The VAR was established based on a false premise that the decisions would be correct. All that has happened is another referee with their own biases comes to a different opinion. We need to accept that the referee with assistants are the final arbiters of the game and only use a video review in the case of tries. Installing this level of review shows up the complexity and difficulty of getting decisions accurate at all times. It is a waste of time and money in a game with more stoppages than most, it is very frustrating to those watching the game and that is what it was supposed to fix.

76 Go to comments
J
JD Kiwi 8 hours ago
Why England should take Joe Marler’s advice and build for the future in the front row

Hi Nick, maybe the RFU coaches think that Asher Opoku-Fordjour isn't bulky enough for tighthead? I remember as a Sale fan thinking how small he looked coming on against Quins, expecting him to get mullered, only to be amazed at how well he held his own.

17 Go to comments
T
Tom 11 hours ago
A 2025 overseas British & Irish Lions XV

My first thought was “damn that's a good Lions backrow, Lawes, Willis, Simmonds” my second thought was “why the fk aren't any of these guys playing for England?!”

2 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 11 hours ago
A 2025 overseas British & Irish Lions XV

Ah. Hogg. The poster boy of the Lions. Who is he related to at RP?

2 Go to comments
T
Tom 13 hours ago
Dupont is a ‘freak’: Ex-All Black on why more 15s players don’t play 7s

He doesn't have the instincts for it having played so much 15s, hence the best 15s player on the planet can't make the starting 7. He's capable of game breaking moments off the bench but his instinct is to play flat and put the other players on crash balls. He's still trying to play 7s like a 15s number 9. Can't actually believe Great Britain aka The Lions couldn't even qualify, what a joke. I wanted to see Adam Radwan play! :(

2 Go to comments
R
RW 13 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

Improve the the chat, block Turlough

36 Go to comments
D
DP 14 hours ago
Melvyn Jaminet handed huge suspension and fine by France

Now lets see what happens to the two French “alleged” rapists in Argentina…

2 Go to comments
R
Rob 14 hours ago
Melvyn Jaminet handed huge suspension and fine by France

Good

2 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 15 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

It’s all going to come down to kicking form. I suspect if Libbok shines up on his kicking in training he’d start with DW at 15 and SFM covering 23. Getting yanked if it’s a tight game. But it won’t be long until SFM is the incumbent 10.

36 Go to comments
D
DG 17 hours ago
Why England should take Joe Marler’s advice and build for the future in the front row

I’m surprised that Craig Wright isn’t getting a mention. His performances, throughout the World Champs were consistently great and his stats must be up there. He very active in the open and appeared to do a great job in the scrum, but I’m no expert!

17 Go to comments
R
RugbyAnalysis 17 hours ago
Why England should take Joe Marler’s advice and build for the future in the front row

Thanks Nella, a very interesting approach to the problems of front rows and the scrum in particular. I work as a data analyst for a club that is strongly based on a vertical style of play, and I have rediscovered the technical vitality of front row play and the radical importance of set pieces. The game is populated by hundreds of details that we do not perceive and that make the potential difference between winning and losing. In Argentina we call 'Mañas' these differential capacities that inhabit this type of player (´Tricks´ in English...?).

17 Go to comments
T
Turlough 18 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

I think SAs problem is one of arrogance. Their boasting and goading before the Irish series was a perfect example of it. Ebens blood covered face is a good reminder of where lack of humility gets you. Hopefully they can proceed with more honour and less arrogance from now on. Pollard kicked 100% versus Ireland and still lost. Change it now.

36 Go to comments
M
MO 18 hours ago
South Africa stun New Zealand as men’s Olympic sevens semi-finals set

SA deserved the win, ABs were error prone and I believe a little complacent. I am assuming a Fiji vs France final, unless the Boks can destoy Dupont’s dream again.

23 Go to comments
W
WR 18 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

Tough one but I disagree. Putting Libbok in most matches will cost us. Especially against better teams. He just doesn't have what it takes. Aside from his kicking woes, he is a very good player. Pollard are the best option for tough games, but SFM is the best choice for me. He can do what both other players can do. He can play more positions than them. He is the best SA have now and will be for a very long time to come. We have an absolute super star like Kolbe, KLA and Moody in SFM. Time to get him in that 10 jersey and let him show case his absolute class. To let him grow and learn all he can from Tony Brown as we won't have TB for always. Most likely only until 2027. NZ will want him back. Time to cash in and go for broke. ML as an impact player might be a better option unless it's against a top 5 team, then best to have HP on the bench in case. That's not experience that can be chucked away. That would be stupid. We have WLR and DW at 15, HP and SFM at flyhalf. If anything, why not see how ML performs as a a scrum half? I know it's not his usual position, but he can be converted. You can't exchange what (in my personal opinion) is one of the best centre pairings currently in the world for ML or HP. That would be a disaster. No, we need HP at least on the bench playing top 5 in the WR.

36 Go to comments
W
WR 18 hours ago
South Africa stun New Zealand as men’s Olympic sevens semi-finals set

Well, on X they claim they beat SA by 2-1 and won the series against SA. Nevermind that it's 2 different competitions with completely different players, and a completely different country. AGAIN, they think that talking about it and claiming it, that they are the winners. That they DESERVE IT. Yet, as per usual, they CHOKED AGAIN in the quarterfinals. The Boks had 2 good games. That's it. The French is a different story altogether. They know how to reach a final. 2 games to go for either Gold or Bronze. Good news that, but coming in 4th don't get medals, so the Boks have to get in the final to be assured of a medal. It won't be easy. Only teams that CAN play is still in the competition, not teams that thinks talking themselves into a medal will get them a medal. Fiji is now the favorites would be my guess, but anyone can take it from here. Good luck Boks!! As usual you have my full support💯

23 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 18 hours ago
James Horwill: ''You can't tell me the code’s in trouble when you see every ticket's sold.'

Thanks , Brett. It will be a very powerful Lions team, but the WB’s will be stronger too, would be my feeling. I don’t see it being all one way traffic.

5 Go to comments
S
StephenE 19 hours ago
Claims that Ireland-South Africa series has been decided in Paris

Not sure what the logic is… Rugby Sevens is a different discipline to 15 man Rugby so can’t be compared or used as a decider. Series was a draw, unfortunately no deciding match. South Africa are WC Champions and No. 1 in the world rankings, surely that is proof enough that there is no doubt who the better team is.

11 Go to comments
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