After missing out on a place in the 2021 Highlanders squad last month, it appears standout Otago wing Freedom Vahaakolo has earned a reprieve from the Dunedin franchise.
When the Black Ferns met a New Zealand Barbarians side in Auckland on Saturday, there were high expectations for the national side's performance.
Mitre 10 Cup Mitre 10 Cup Mitre 10 Cup 
Mitre 10 Cup | Round 10 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
-  Hawkes Bay | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 264 | 209 | 55 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 36 |
-  Auckland | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 299 | 198 | 101 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 36 |
-  Tasman | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 288 | 202 | 86 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 33 |
-  Bay of Plenty | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 268 | 258 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 31 |
-  Otago | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 244 | 247 | -3 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 30 |
-  Waikato | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 257 | 230 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 29 |
-  Wellington | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 289 | 248 | 41 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 29 |
-  Canterbury | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 251 | 224 | 27 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 29 |
-  North Harbour | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 276 | 226 | 50 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
-  Northland | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 221 | 262 | -41 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 24 |
-  Taranaki | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 263 | 265 | -2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 24 |
-  Southland | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 144 | 193 | -49 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 16 |
-  Counties Manukau | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 208 | 331 | -123 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
-  Manawatu | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 198 | 377 | -179 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
| Round 10 |
|---|
| - Hawkes Bay |
| - Auckland |
| - Tasman |
| - Bay of Plenty |
| - Otago |
| - Waikato |
| - Wellington |
| - Canterbury |
| - North Harbour |
| - Northland |
| - Taranaki |
| - Southland |
| - Counties Manukau |
| - Manawatu |
Josh Hohneck Prop 
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Sef Faagase Prop 
Jonah Aoina Prop 
Liam Coltman Hooker 
Ricky Jackson Hooker 
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George Bower Prop 
Sione Misiloi Lock 
Josh Dickson Lock 
Josh Hill Lock 
Slade McDowall Flanker 6 
Dylan Nel Flanker 6 
Nasi Manu Number 8 
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Will Tucker 
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Kayne Hammington Scrum half 
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