Super Rugby Aotearoa: Highlanders player ratings vs Hurricanes
The Highlanders named an unchanged starting XV after their plucky outing against the champion Crusaders outfit last weekend. Aaron Smith was celebrating his 150th game for the Southerners and Ash Dixon joined the centurion club.
For the Hurricanes, who were on a hot streak of 5 wins in a row, Billy Proctor, Chase Tiatia and Jamie Booth were brought into the backline, Dane Coles was up front to captain in the absence of TJ Perenara.
Defying logic, the Hurricanes, a team who normally wear gold chose to wear their blue alternate strip against a team that wears blue. The Hurricanes were called back for three denied tries and Highlanders pushed out in the second half against the tiring visitors for a 38-21 win.
How did the winning side’s players rate in the final game of Super Rugby Aotearoa?
1. Ayden Johnstone – 7
Solid at scrum, some good distribution and running at first/second receiver. Off in 46th minute.
2. Ash Dixon – 7.5
Lineout maestro, genuine leader and a popular try-scorer off a rolling maul at 33 minutes. This week it was Josh McKay who was the recipient of his 22-metre long throw. Off in 56th minute.
3. Siate Tokolahi – 7
Highlanders scrum stayed solid and both starting props averaged 2 metres a carry. Off in 46th minute.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD5acAxg6Mk/
4. Pari Pari Parkinson – 6
Obviously wasn’t 100% after last week, succumbed to his dodgy sticks again after 39 minutes.
5. Jack Whetton – 8
His dropped ball led to Aso’s try. Came back though with some good work around the park and major component in the Highlanders’ purring lineout. Classic tight forward’s run up the middle at 45 minutes for Collins try and top tackler. Off in 70th minute.
6. Shannon Frizell – 6.5
His first-up tackle on Prinsep was a real “who’s your Daddy?’ moment. Relatively quiet game otherwise. Has become a solid lineout option. Had a nice little ding-dong with Ardie Savea around 68 minutes where he got bumped off by Savea then moments later crash tackled the Hurricanes number 8. Revenge was sweet!
7. Dillon Hunt – 7
Good work in tight exchanges in mopping up, solid on ‘D’ and kept Kirifi honest in a bonafide battle of the terriers at the breakdown.
8. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u – 7.5
Back to his effervescent best with ball in hand after a quiet shift last week. 47 metres off 6 carries but just 1 tackle. Off in 63rd minute.
Of course this was going to happen in the final match of the competition ? #SuperRugbyAotearoa #HIGvHURhttps://t.co/AURMOtgcdg
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 15, 2020
9. Aaron Smith – 8
Is the real heartbeat of the team and led more like a statesman than a yappy dictator this week. Creates so much from the base and picks runners well. Off in 72nd minute.
10. Josh Ioane – 7
Good under the high ball, not completely confident in defence stationed on the wing at the set-piece. Always a threat at the line with ball in hand. Off in 62nd minute.
11. Jona Nareki – 7
Off at 5 minutes for some patching up, back on at 18. The team used his left boot well to get out of their 22. Great work up the middle for Michael Collins’ try.
12. Patelesio Tomkinson – 7
Good all-round game; he’s had a good, consistent season.
13. Michael Collins – 7.5
Is growing in confidence with more time in the 13 jersey. Made some real yards, 62 metres in 9 carries.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD2tTBEgJqb/
14. Josh McKay – 6.5
Just doesn’t seem to get the space he needs with ball in hand. Very evasive player, some good passing skills and tackles well.
15. Mitch Hunt – 7
Got himself involved in the line in the first try to Punivai. Showed he has some real pace with some velocity down the right flank to score at 61 minutes. Very solid player with few weaknesses.
Reserves:
16. Liam Coltman 6.5
On in 56th minute. Good turnover at 66 minutes to snuff out a Hurricanes attack.
17. Daniel Lienert-Brown – 7
On in 46th minute. Solid defence.
18. Jeff Thwaites – 7
On in 46th minute. Put in some good defence.
19. Manaaki Selby-Rickit – 7.5
All action figure after his introduction at 39 minutes. Some significant carries, top tackles and soared high at lineout time.
20. Teariki Ben-Nicolas – N/A
On in 63rd minute.
21. Folau Fakatava – N/A
On in 72nd minute.
22. Ngatungane Punivai – 7
Came on for 13 minutes in the first half, good introduction with a strong run then, moments later, scored a well-taken try. Then on again at 62nd minute, a bit more quiet in the second shift.
23. Tom Florence – 6
On in 70th minute and got one big hit in at 78 minutes. One for the future.
Comments on RugbyPass
9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to comments