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Shannon Frizell set for 50th cap as Highlanders team named for Chiefs
The Highlanders have named their first team of the DHL Super Rugby Pacific season to play the Chiefs on Saturday in Queenstown.
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The team have finished their second week in the Queenstown Super Rugby bubble and recovered well following the Game of Three Halves over the weekend against the Chiefs and Blues.
Shannon Frizell will run out for his 50th Highlander’s game this weekend. Frizell debuted for the club in 2018 following two strong seasons with the Tasman Mako. Since joining the club he has been a massive contributor to the team scoring 17 tries throughout his 49 games to date. His performance was rewarded by being selected for the All Blacks in 2019, he has since played 17 tests for them.
Highlanders head coach Tony Brown praised the work of Frizell to reach his milestone match with the club.
“Shannon has made an impact on the field from the moment he first arrived here. He’s a strong ball carrier and has been one of our most consistent forwards over the last few seasons,” he said.
“His selection for the All Blacks is a well-earned reward for a lot of hard work put in on the training field. No doubt he will be looking forward to running out for his 50th match for a team he cares a lot about.”
Jermaine Ainsley and Fetuli Paea will both have their long-awaited debuts for the club this weekend. Both players missed the full 2021 season due to injury.
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Josh Timu and Mosese Dawii are also set to debut; this will be Timu’s first full season of Super Rugby in New Zealand after playing for the Sunwolves in Japan and then for the Crusaders as injury cover in 2021. Mosese is in his first season at Super Rugby level, the Fijian born winger made his mark in the NPC Premiership last season with the winning Waikato team.
Excited to see what the debutants could bring to the game on Saturday, Brown commented, “Jermaine and Fetuli have both had to be patient and put in the hard yards behind closed doors to get to this point. I’m really excited to see them finally get their Highlander debuts on Saturday night and Josh has been in our camp for pre-season before but hasn’t had the opportunity to run out for a competition game. Being able to finally get his name up on the Highlanders board will mean a lot to Josh and his family.”
The game will be played behind closed doors again due to red light restrictions. However, it will be available to watch on Sky Sport 1.
Highlanders team to play the Chiefs – 4:35pm Saturday 19th February, Queenstown
- Ethan de Groot
- Liam Coltman
- Jermaine Ainsley *
- Manaaki Selby-Rickit
- Josh Dickson
- Shannon Frizell **
- James Lentjes (Co-Vice Captain)
- Gareth Evans
- Aaron Smith (Captain)
- Mitch Hunt (Co-Vice Captain)
- Josh Timu *
- Scott Gregory
- Fetuli Paea *
- Mosese Dawai *
- Sam Gilbert
Reserves
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16. Andrew Makalio *
17. Daniel Lienert-Brown
18. Josh Hohneck
19. Bryn Evans
20. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u
21. Folau Fakatava
22. Marty Banks
23. Thomas Umaga-Jensen
*Debut
**50th Game
Comments on RugbyPass
Yet, according to Jake White and other twonks who think better, Jenkins shouldn’t be picked by the boks. Daft.
5 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments