What went wrong with the Highlanders this season

Year two of the Highlanders under returning coach Jamie Joseph has presented challenges as the franchise sits in last place currently, after finishing 6th on the log last year.

Despite this lowly position headed into the last stage of the season, oddly it hasn’t been a bad year, there have been some bright spots, like breaking a long-running drought over the Blues and for the most part they have been extremely competitive.

They have six losing bonus points, the most of any team and their points differential is better than the three teams above them on the ladder. In a competition with the most parity in world rugby, the Highlanders truly aren’t far away from being right in the mix at the top of the ladder.

Entering the season expectations for the franchise were low, with troubled years under former head coach Tony Brown where the club finished 8th and 9th in first two seasons of Super Rugby Pacific. There has been a realisation that they need a full re-build as they had quality coaches.

The Highlanders are trying to turn around the franchise over the long-term with a new strategy with more investment in academy and player development, particularly with home grown talent if they can. In 2020 they implemented a High Performance Programme, a new initiative for the club.

That has seen the likes of Finn Hurley, a product of Otago Boys, come through and explode on the seen earlier this season. Hooker Jack Taylor is another, a product of Southland. As a result the Highlanders are working with a very young roster, even by Super Rugby’s standards.

17 of the 22 contracted forwards are 25 years or younger, with many just 21 or 22 years old. This is very green for a forward pack that needs to build experience. Fabian Holland, an All Black lock prospect is just 22 years old.

The Chiefs and Crusaders, the two leading New Zealand clubs, have the inverse, with most the forwards over 25 years old. There are plenty of All Blacks on those squads too.

It’s similar in the backs, but particularly in the key position at No.10 where the likes of Cam Miller and Ajay Faleafaga are 22. Tasman and ex-Crusaders squad member Taine Robinson has been given a lot of starts this year as the most experienced of the bunch at 25.

This new approach to roster building will pay off if they can retain them, with the bulk of this 2025 squad hitting their peak in a few years time.

The Highlanders also hit home runs on the transfer market this year, with ex-Blues winger Caleb Tangitau proving to be a great pick-up earlier in the season before injury struck. This year’s loose forwards Veveni Lasaqa and TK Howden from the Hurricanes are great prospects.

Tangitau adds to the talent they have recruited with the likes of Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Timoci Tavatavanawai also proving to be boom signings.

The pieces are there for the Highlanders to contend over the next few seasons and build a new championship-calibre squad to rival the golden years of 2015-18.

They have more talent on the way from the New Zealand U20 squad, a homegrown halves pairing in Dylan Pledger and Mika Muliaina, nephew of All Black great Mils. These two at No.9 and No.10 for the long-term could be generational for the Highlanders.

Another lock prospect in the U20s, Josh Tengblad, was recruited out of Sacred Heart in Auckland and is a blue chip line out option and big body like Holland. The Highlanders are not short on hookers, but Shaun Kempton is another top prospect to add to the stable.

They are building strong foundations and depth from the ground up, which takes time, but it means that the Highlanders could contend year-in year-out if they hit on their draft intakes of about five players every year. The HPP has produced 15 Super Rugby debutants so far.

You can’t often say that the teams sitting in last place in a competition have reasons for optimism, but it is true for the Highlanders.

2025 hasn’t been as bad a year as their standing suggests.