'Nothing's going our way': Tony Brown laments the bounce of the rugby ball
Highlanders coach Tony Brown has suggested that it’s primarily dumb luck that is to blame for the Highlanders’ ongoing winless streak against New Zealand opposition.
With Super Rugby Pacific now entering the trans-Tasman stage of the competition, the Highlanders won’t meet any of the four other Kiwi franchises again until the knockout stages of the competition. While the southerners haven’t managed a single victory against their fellow New Zealand sides this year, managing only a solitary victory so far against Moana Pasifika, Brown is confident that the Highlanders have done everything within their power to get a victory.
“We always have a plan to win every week and the boys execute the plan,” Brown said following Saturday night’s loss at the hands of the Hurricanes. “At the moment it’s just not getting the rub of the green and it’s not going our way. The belief’s there and if we keep preparing well and we keep performing, we’ll be fine.”
Brown repeatedly emphasised throughout his post-match press conference that ‘the rub of the green’ simply hadn’t favoured his side in their games to date.
In their six losses this season, three were by seven or fewer points. If a few decisions had gone a different way, perhaps the Highlanders wouldn’t be sitting in 10th place on the 12-team ladder.
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Brown suggested that at some stage, some of those decisions would end up falling in their favour.
“I think we’ve showed a lot of heart right through the whole campaign,” he said. “Nothing’s going our way, decisions aren’t going our way, but the effort that the guys are putting in and how we’re preparing for a game is first-class.
“I’m really, really proud of the guys for that and at some stage we’re gonna get the rub of the green and we’re gonna turn these narrow losses into good wins.”
In Saturday’s loss, a TMO decision saw a Highlanders try chalked out at the death which would have turned their 22-21 defeat into a victory. While the video evidence seemed fairly conclusive that prop Saula Ma’u had made a double movement on the ground, Brown implied that had referee Angus Mabey awarded an on-field try before going upstairs, the outcome could have been different.
“Obviously, it went upstairs and it [had been] awarded ‘no try’. In that situation, very hard to overturn it unless it’s really clear,” Brown said – though he wouldn’t be drawn on whether the wording that referees use when referring a try to the TMO could be problematic. “I don’t know, [that’s] not my job.”
Brown’s comments weren’t too dissimilar to those shared by his captain Aaron Smith following the match, who said the Highlanders were “getting robbed” this season and that referees needed to be consistent with how they treated foul play after two tackles from the Hurricanes in the second half likely deserved a second look from the officials but were missed.
Brown, however, stopped short of blaming the officials.
“I’m not gonna criticise the referees,” he said on the post-match broadcast. “It is what it is. Another day, another time, that gets awarded and we win the game.”
Regardless of the results so far this season, Brown said the future is bright for the Highlanders, you only need to look at how they responded after going down early against the Hurricanes.
“I think that’s the heart, and it’s leadership and it’s desire to want to work for your teammates,” he said of the never-say-die approach to the match. “That’s what I’m most proud about.
“Sometimes when you coach rugby and you’re in rugby teams, it’s all about the result. But for me, it’s all about the attitude and the desire and the heart and the camaraderie in your team that’s most important and I think we’ve got that.
“Like I say, if little things go our way and we get the rub of the green, we’re gonna be fine.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments