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'Not too dissimilar to Brian Lima' - Highlanders to unleash blockbusting young midfielder on Hurricanes
The Highlanders have rung the changes for this week’s clash against the Hurricanes following their tense 24-19 defeat at the hands of the Rebels in Melbourne.
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A raft of key players were rested by head coach Aaron Mauger as he abided by the All Blacks‘ resting policy during their loss at AAMI Park.
However, the absence of Ben Smith, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock and Liam Coltman last week means the All Blacks quartet have been welcomed back into the starting side for the first of six consecutive New Zealand derbies for the Highlanders.
The resting policy will still have ramifications for the Dunedin-based franchise this week, though, with in-form flanker Shannon Frizell forced out of the match day squad, while star wing Waisake Naholo has been demoted to the bench with only 37 minutes of game time left available.
Naholo has been replaced on the right wing by Highlanders cult hero Richard Buckman, who makes his first appearance for the club since returning from Japanese Top League side Kobelco Steelers.
Jackson Hemopo will fill in for Frizell on the side of the scrum as he shifts away from the second row.
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While most of the talk about the Highlanders’ team for their clash at Westpac Stadium has been focused around the return of their key All Blacks, Mauger spoke highly of his youthful midfield, which consists of 21-year-old Thomas Umaga-Jensen and 22-year-old Sio Tomkinson.
Playing in just their fourth and 10th Super Rugby matches, respectively, this is the first time the pair have started alongside each other, with Mauger looking to combat the physical presence evident within the Hurricanes’ backline.
Umaga-Jensen is the biggest midfielder in the squad with dimensions of 1.87m and 107kg, while Tomkinson has a reputation for being one of the most explosive tacklers in New Zealand.
Together, the duo will be tasked with restricting the damage inflicted by an all-star Hurricanes backline, which features blockbusting second-five Ngani Laumape, who bagged a hat-trick against the Brumbies last week.
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“We’ve gone for a physical midfield,” Mauger told RugbyPass on Wednesday.
“We know that the Hurricanes’ backs are very physical, they’re a big backline, so we want to make sure we match them there.
“Both Thomas and Sio deserve that opportunity, they’ve both played good footy.
“I thought Sio was outstanding off the bench last week, and through his physicality and his intent, put us in a position towards the end of the game to give ourselves a crack at winning it, so he gets rewarded for that performance.”
Tomkinson’s cameo appearance against the Rebels was his first outing since being wrongly sent off for what was deemed to be dangerous tackle on Chiefs lock Brodie Retallick three weeks ago.
It was a strong hit that left the normally staunch second rower stunned, illustrating the immense power Tomkinson possesses defensively.
“He’s actually a pretty softly-spoken guy, and pretty gentle, but as soon as he crosses the chalk, he’s certainly got that ruthless mindset about him,” Mauger said of Tomkinson, who starred at local 1st XV level for Otago Boys’ High School, before progressing through the national age grade and Otago ranks to debut for the Highlanders in 2017.
“Not too dissimilar to Brian Lima, who’s also a Highlanders legend, so there’s a bit of Brian Lima in Sio’s mindset around the tackle.”
With his first start of the year, Tomkinson will look to capitalise on the absence of regular starter Rob Thompson, who is ruled out for at least another fortnight with an ankle injury sustained against the Reds last month.
Mauger said both he and Umaga-Jensen, as well as fellow youngster Josh Ioane, are all products of the development system implemented by the Highlanders in recent seasons.
“I think the way we tried to grow them last year and develop them, they all had game time last year, which was great, it was part of our plan, and now they’re in a position to compete for those spots.
“As you’ve seen with Josh Ioane, he’s grabbed it with both hands. He’s taken his opportunities, Thomas has done the same, and Sio gets an opportunity this week to really put his hand up and say ‘Look, I want this position for good’, so that’s great.
“We’ve got Rob Thompson sitting on the sideline injured at the moment, Tei Walden misses out this week.
“We’ve also got Richard Buckman, who will slip into the midfield at some stage. Matt Faddes is another guy, so we’re pretty loaded there, and they’ll all play.
“We’ve got that luxury, so we’ll use them all during the year.”
Hurricanes: 1. Chris Eves, 2. Dane Coles (c), 3. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 4. James Blackwell, 5. Liam Mitchell, 6. Vaea Fifita, 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi, 8. Ardie Savea, 9. TJ Perenara, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Ben Lam, 12. Ngani Laumape, 13. Matt Proctor, 14. Jordie Barrett, 15. Chase Tiatia
Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Fraser Armstrong, 18. Ben May, 19. Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20. Reed Prinsep, 21. Richard Judd, 22. Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23. Vince Aso
Highlanders: 1. Ayden Johnstone, 2. Liam Coltman, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Josh Dickson, 5. Pari Pari Parkinson, 6. Jackson Hemopo, 7. James Lentjes, 8. Luke Whitelock (c), 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Josh Ioane, 11. Tevita Li, 12. Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 13. Sio Tomkinson, 14. Richard Buckman, 15. Ben Smith (c)
Reserves: 16. Ash Dixon, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19. Tom Franklin, 20. Elliot Dixon, 21. Kayne Hammington, 22. Marty Banks, 23. Waisake Naholo
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Comments on RugbyPass
Jake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
13 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
1 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
3 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
13 Go to commentsThe Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
13 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
39 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
39 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to comments