Luke Jacobson and Jono Gibbes ready to turn Waikato's fortunes
Waikato loose forward Luke Jacobson is confident that Jono Gibbes is the man to turn the side around in the Mitre 10 Cup.
The province – relegated to the competition’s Championship division after winning just two games last year – will be under the guidance of former Waikato and All Blacks flanker Gibbes for the 2018 season.
“I’ve only been in there for a couple of days but already, you notice his [Gibbes] influence on the team,” Jacobson said. “[He] seems like a very knowledgeable man.”
“I think he’s going to be really good for the team this year, a lot of knowledge and I’m looking forward to learning off him.”
Captain of the New Zealand Under 20 side in 2017, 21-year-old Jacobson is coming off a strong first year of professional rugby. The flanker made his Waikato debut last season and made 13 appearances for the Chiefs Super Rugby side this year, where he was one of the club’s top defenders. He finished his rookie campaign ranked fourth on the team in made tackles (109) and tackled at 91.7%, second highest among Chiefs forwards.
“I learned a lot from my Chiefs campaign this year. It was a good bit of fun as well, I was lucky enough to get out there on the field,” he said.
“Carrying that into Mitre 10, I’ve just got to try keep emulating that sort of high standard at the Super Rugby level.
“Hopefully I can try and bring what we had at the Chiefs to the Waikato and lift our Waikato team to get along a bit better this year.”
The team is hoping to bounce back from a down year, and have been bolstered by several new additions to the team, while still carrying some exciting familiar faces in their 37-man squad named Thursday.
“We back ourselves to be a good battling province I’d say,” said Jacobson.
“We’ve got the likes of Sevu Reece who’s always a pretty electric player. We’ve got a new first five Fletcher Smith who’s going to be exciting, he’s looked good in training.
“Tim Bond in the forwards, he’s new to us and he’s going to be good for us. Also the likes of Toby Smith back and James Tucker’s still going to be there.”
21-year-old Fijian winger Reece is back for his third Mitre 10 Cup campaign before he heads to Ireland where he will join PRO14 side Connacht. Highlander Fletcher Smith joins the team after spending three years with Otago, while Wallaby prop Toby Smith rejoins the province following a strong campaign with the Hurricanes.
The club also welcome Crusaders halfback Jack Stratton, while former New Zealand Sevens representatives Kylem and Declan O’Donnell return to Waikato after spending time with Taranaki.
Waikato begin their 2018 Mitre 10 Cup campaign on August 18 when they take on Manawatu in Palmerston North.
WAIKATO 2018 MITRE 10 CUP SQUAD
Forwards: Sefo Kautai, Toby Smith, Ayden Johnstone,Josh Iosefa-Scott, Haereiti Hetet, Atu Moli, Samisoni Taukeiaho, Sekope Lopeti-Moli, Mike Mayhew, Laghlan McWhannell, James Tucker, Sam Caird, Tim Bond, Jono Armstrong, Luke Jacobson, Mitch Jacobson, Adam Burn, Jordan Manihera, Jahrome Brown, Murray Iti.
Backs: Raniera Takarangi, Kylem O’Donnell, Jack Stratton, Matty Lansdown, Fletcher Smith, Damian McKenzie, Bailyn Sullivan, Quinn Tupaea, Pepesana Patafilo, Dwayne Sweeney, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mosese Dawai, Jordan Bunce, Niven Longopoa, Sevu Reece, Declan O’Donnell, Tyler Campbell.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Bar 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.
9 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.
35 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.
2 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
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
35 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.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments