The final ride for Highlanders cult hero Marty Banks
A fortuitous quarter-final berth has handed departing Highlanders first-five Marty Banks at least one more week with the club of which he has earned cult hero status.
After pummelling the Waratahs 49-12 at Rugby Park in Invercargill on Friday night, the Dunedin-based franchise had to rely on results to fall in their favour in order to qualify for Super Rugby’s knockout stages.
With six wins, three draws, seven losses and 36 points to their name, a win without a bonus point for the Chiefs over the Rebels at AAMI Park in Melbourne immediately after the Waratahs clash would have secured the Highlanders a place in the post-season, but a 59-8 thrashing put their play-off ambitions in doubt.
Stranded in eighth place with one more fixture left in the round, the only way the Highlanders could continue their season was if the Bulls denied the Lions a single competition point during their local derby at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
An inspired display by Pote Human’s side in the opening and closing quarters of the match solidified the Highlanders’ place in the last eight, with talismanic playmaker Handre Pollard guiding the hosts to a 48-27 victory.
The result means that the Lions, runners-up of Super Rugby for the past three seasons, have missed the play-offs altogether, while the Highlanders have sneakily booked a date with the all-conquering Crusaders at the newly-renamed Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch in the first of four quarter-finals this weekend.
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It’s not as if Banks stayed up into the early hours of Sunday morning to watch the South African derby from New Zealand, though.
“I’m a pretty good sleeper,” Banks said on Monday.
“I had the phone on silent, I think I found out at about eight o’clock when all the hoo-ha was coming through on the phones, but it was pretty exciting to wake up to that.
“Whatever happened in Africa was out of our control, but obviously the Bulls did us a favour, and we’re pretty grateful to be back at training on a Monday.”
The Bulls’ favour also extends Banks’ farewell party from the club, as he is one of at least a whopping 13 players leaving the franchise at the end of the campaign.
Joining the Highlanders from the Hurricanes in 2015, Banks has gone on to make 40 appearances across two stints with the club, and played key roles in two of the biggest wins in the team’s history.
He landed a drop goal in the closing stages of the 2015 Super Rugby final against the Hurricanes, which helped the Highlanders to a 21-14 win over his former side at Westpac Stadium, and he slotted the match-winning penalty inside the final 10 minutes during the club’s famous 23-22 upset over the British and Irish Lions at Forsyth Barr Stadium two years later.
2017 was a particularly standout year for Banks, from an individual perspective.
Star pivot Lima Sopoaga was sidelined with a leg injury for the majority of the season, so it was Banks who was tasked with guiding the Highlanders around the park for nine matches straight.
He subsequently played a key role in the side’s record nine-match winning streak, impressing with his composed demeanour with ball in hand, solid distribution skills, and incredible goal-kicking accuracy.
Although they were dumped in the quarter-finals through a 17-0 defeat to the Crusaders in Christchurch – the same fixture at the same stage of the competition that the Highlanders face this weekend – Banks’ exploits didn’t go unnoticed.
That year, he was named Highlanders Fans’ Player of the Year, which confirmed his status as a cult hero figure, not just within the Highlanders region, but all across New Zealand.
There are many other reasons why he’s become such a prominent figure within the New Zealand rugby landscape throughout his unorthodox professional career.
Mingling with underworld personnel during his time in Russia at the beginning of his career, winning the Heartland Championship with home province Buller, infamously swigging a can of beer before nailing a sideline conversion during his title-winning tenure with Tasman and being the target of many a joke from teammates and friends on social media have all contributed to Banks’ unconventional story.
However, it has been with the Highlanders where he has really established his credentials, so he will be hoping to extend his loan spell from Japanese Top League club NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes for as long as possible as the play-offs begin on Friday.
“I just love being apart of the team,” he said.
“Every year that I’ve been here, we’ve been part of the play-offs, and it’s just an exciting time.
“The boys just really love it, and there will obviously be a few boys heading away at the end of the year, so it’s just exciting to be around guys like that and just looking forward to enjoying the time, whether it’s a week to whatever it turns out to be, it’s just an exciting time, so pretty stoked to be apart of it.”
Banks will be joined in Japan next year by current Highlanders teammates Liam Squire (NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes), Jackson Hemopo (Mitsubishi DynaBoars), Elliot Dixon (Ricoh Black Rams), Tevita Li (Suntory Sungoliath), Tom Franklin and Richard Buckman (both Kobe Steelers).
Others, such as Ben Smith, Luke Whitelock (both Pau), Waisake Naholo (London Irish) and Matt Faddes (Ulster), are headed for Europe, while Kiwi rivals, the Hurricanes, yesterday announced their signing of young All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax.
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With such a big exodus from Dunedin, many are fearing for what’s in store for the Highlanders in 2020, but Banks believes he and his teammates are leaving the club in good stead for the near future, especially with the anticipated arrival of a former Tasman teammate and Crusaders first-five on the horizon.
“They’ve got a couple of new guys coming down, they’ve got Mitchy Hunt, I think, off the top of my head,” he said.
“I think there will be a lot of new signings coming down here, and it’s just going to be the way New Zealand Rugby is, I guess, a lot of young guys stepping up now, and filling the void of some of the older guys moving on.
“It’s just awesome to see New Zealand footy in a good place.”
Meanwhile, Highlanders loose forward James Lentjes announced his decision to re-sign with the club and Otago for another two seasons.
The capture of the 28-year-old is a significant one for the franchise, who will be relying on his experience and expertise in a year where they will be severely lacking such attributes throughout their squad.
“We’re losing some key guys, some of our All Blacks, but it’ll be nice, it’ll be refreshing,” he said.
“We’ll have some new faces around, and sometimes you can bring in some new guys and bring in some new energy, and it’ll be an exciting year, for sure.”
Lentjes becomes just the seventh player to publicly announce his re-commitment to the Highlanders for next year, joining All Blacks Aaron Smith and Liam Coltman, as well as Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, Bryn Gatland, Teihorangi Walden and Josh McKay.
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said earlier this month that signings were expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with All Blacks Sevens duo Jona Nareki and Scott Gregory understood to be among the new arrivals.
Watch – Marty Banks speaks to media ahead of the Highlanders’ clash with the Crusaders:
Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments