Highlanders 2026
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@SouthernMann it's all bit sad really was looking forward to to a bench with some spark to it Pledger/Fakatava 21, Hurley 22. I'd almost now suggest really wanting Lucas casey to be in the reserves from day 1 somehow? the guy is worth 7 points on the scoreboard
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@Yeetyaah said in Highlanders 2026:
Y'all think this drops the Landers down maybe one or two spots on the ladder?
Yip. Certainly does.
Moves from pushing top six to seven - 10 (seven me being quite hopeful).
Fakatava is still a very good halfback. Just the pressure Pledger took off Millar was immense. Not sure Fakatava's style is suited to that.
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Rambling incoming so feel free to ignore, Luckless landers. Going on half a decade now I've noticed an upswing in injuries to our backs. It's a contact sport yes but it seems as tho the majority will face time on the sidelines.
● Halfbacks Dylan Pledger ruptured his acl gone for 26, Folau Fakatava multiple acl injuries throughout the course of his career.
● 10s Cam Millar missed time due to a head knock last year, Taine Robinson Injured against the Crusaders last year and only saw 1 or 2 as a result for Ta$man, Andrew Knewstubb Joins the landers with a history of acl injuries.● Midfield firstly have to mention Thomas Umaga Jensen & Josh Timu who have departed dunedin both of whom had disastrous runs of Injuries, Joining us in 26 is Reesjan Pasitoa who seemingly had Injury issues across the ditch, Timoci Tavatavanawai interestingly enough his injuries in the last 2 years have taken place in the spring months for Ta$man so no affect to the landers. Jake Te Hiwi multiple injuries throughout his career
● Outsides Finn Hurley with 1 notable injury that sidelined for 6 months last year and has picked up a shorter term Injury as of now, Jacob Ratumaitavuki kneepkens the 1 notable Injury being a broken neck suffered playing for Taranaki, Caleb Tangitau who joined us last year picked up an injury that sidelined him for 5 months,
Jona Nareki dozens of Injuries throughout his career although he finally came through unscathed for Otago back end of last year. Jonah Lowe suffered an acl injury in 2024 although intriguingly enough he returned in 2025 in better form than prior to that injury. So yeah nothing to gain from all I've said other than I see why Squads are larger these days. -
@Grooter my feeling is weve never really had the depth of other teams, if we do get good players down they are starting, no one is coming down to be part of the squad...and so if we do have injuries.....we're immediately starting youth/Journeymen/injury prone...and asking them to play week in week out...which probably leads to more injuries
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@Grooter said in Highlanders 2026:
Rambling incoming so feel free to ignore, Luckless landers. Going on half a decade now I've noticed an upswing in injuries to our backs. It's a contact sport yes but it seems as tho the majority will face time on the sidelines.
● Halfbacks Dylan Pledger ruptured his acl gone for 26, Folau Fakatava multiple acl injuries throughout the course of his career. ● 10s Cam Millar missed time due to a head knock last year, Taine Robinson Injured against the Crusaders last year and only saw 1 or 2 as a result for Ta$man, Andrew Knewstubb Joins the landers with a history of acl injuries. ● Midfield firstly have to mention Thomas Umaga Jensen & Josh Timu who have departed dunedin both of whom had disastrous runs of Injuries, Joining us in 26 is Reesjan Pasitoa who seemingly had Injury issues across the ditch, Timoci Tavatavanawai interestingly enough his injuries in the last 2 years have taken place in the spring months for Ta$man so no affect to the landers. Jake Te Hiwi multiple injuries throughout his career ● Outsides Finn Hurley with 1 notable injury that sidelined for 6 months last year and has picked up a shorter term Injury as of now, Jacob Ratumaitavuki kneepkens the 1 notable Injury being a broken neck suffered playing for Taranaki, Caleb Tangitau who joined us last year picked up an injury that sidelined him for 5 months, Jona Nareki dozens of Injuries throughout his career although he finally came through unscathed for Otago back end of last year. Jonah Lowe suffered an acl injury in 2024 although intriguingly enough he returned in 2025 in better form than prior to that injury. So yeah nothing to gain from all I've said other than I see why Squads are larger these days.Were you trying to do bullet points and it didn't work or the plan was always to have a gigantic paragraph with little black dots occasionally?
On the actual content itself I wonder if a similar injury toll is happening with the backs of other teams. Also Lowe is an injury magnet, he was injured at the Canes and the Chiefs too (thankfully he often recovers in time for the NPC).
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All will be revealed tomorrow, but if hypothetically Razor goes and JJ replaces him, given the Springbok Tour I can’t see him steering us through the season - though I would expect him to have some involvement through a handover period - but how will they replace him?
Dermody has previously failed, Kidwell isn’t a Union man, Bender has never head coached ever… Corey Brown?
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
All will be revealed tomorrow, but if hypothetically Razor goes and JJ replaces him, given the Springbok Tour I can’t see him steering us through the season - though I would expect him to have some involvement through a handover period - but how will they replace him?
Dermody has previously failed, Kidwell isn’t a Union man, Bender has never head coached ever… Corey Brown?
you would think thats a likely outcome off the back of such a good season...just sad/annoying that Otago will end up with another change rather than building on last year
i dont know how realistic it is but if NZR was to pinch a super coach right before the season starts, could they tap up someone else internationally for a one year gig
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
All will be revealed tomorrow, but if hypothetically Razor goes and JJ replaces him, given the Springbok Tour I can’t see him steering us through the season - though I would expect him to have some involvement through a handover period - but how will they replace him?
Dermody has previously failed, Kidwell isn’t a Union man, Bender has never head coached ever… Corey Brown?
you would think thats a likely outcome off the back of such a good season...just sad/annoying that Otago will end up with another change rather than building on last year
Seems that the likes of Withy, Howden, and Taylor have good relationship with JJ, could see him taking all three in an extended squad to SA, which would only benefit the Highlanders long term.
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@WoodysRFC said in Highlanders 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
All will be revealed tomorrow, but if hypothetically Razor goes and JJ replaces him, given the Springbok Tour I can’t see him steering us through the season - though I would expect him to have some involvement through a handover period - but how will they replace him?
Dermody has previously failed, Kidwell isn’t a Union man, Bender has never head coached ever… Corey Brown?
you would think thats a likely outcome off the back of such a good season...just sad/annoying that Otago will end up with another change rather than building on last year
Seems that the likes of Withy, Howden, and Taylor have good relationship with JJ, could see him taking all three in an extended squad to SA, which would only benefit the Highlanders long term.
maybe, i think i would take some stability over a couple of seasons if im honest, JJ and Corey Brown working "together" to lift both the Landers and Otago
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@WoodysRFC said in Highlanders 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
All will be revealed tomorrow, but if hypothetically Razor goes and JJ replaces him, given the Springbok Tour I can’t see him steering us through the season - though I would expect him to have some involvement through a handover period - but how will they replace him?
Dermody has previously failed, Kidwell isn’t a Union man, Bender has never head coached ever… Corey Brown?
you would think thats a likely outcome off the back of such a good season...just sad/annoying that Otago will end up with another change rather than building on last year
Seems that the likes of Withy, Howden, and Taylor have good relationship with JJ, could see him taking all three in an extended squad to SA, which would only benefit the Highlanders long term.
maybe, i think i would take some stability over a couple of seasons if im honest, JJ and Corey Brown working "together" to lift both the Landers and Otago
Inclined to agree. Upside is the entirety of our longterm core are under the age of 25. I'd expect our most competitive years are post the 2027 RWC.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:
Kane Jury. He coached the NZ Schools when they last beat Aust (twice).
Be a big step up having never coached at NPC level.
what is the step before NPC now days? what do we think is the minimum to have before your first NPC gig?
@WoodysRFC said in Highlanders 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@WoodysRFC said in Highlanders 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
All will be revealed tomorrow, but if hypothetically Razor goes and JJ replaces him, given the Springbok Tour I can’t see him steering us through the season - though I would expect him to have some involvement through a handover period - but how will they replace him?
Dermody has previously failed, Kidwell isn’t a Union man, Bender has never head coached ever… Corey Brown?
you would think thats a likely outcome off the back of such a good season...just sad/annoying that Otago will end up with another change rather than building on last year
Seems that the likes of Withy, Howden, and Taylor have good relationship with JJ, could see him taking all three in an extended squad to SA, which would only benefit the Highlanders long term.
maybe, i think i would take some stability over a couple of seasons if im honest, JJ and Corey Brown working "together" to lift both the Landers and Otago
Inclined to agree. Upside is the entirety of our longterm core are under the age of 25. I'd expect our most competitive years are post the 2027 RWC.
i distinctly remember talking about 2025 being the long term goal....then 2026....
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:
Kane Jury. He coached the NZ Schools when they last beat Aust (twice).
Be a big step up having never coached at NPC level.
what is the step before NPC now days? what do we think is the minimum to have before your first NPC gig?
Seems the entirety of our current super coaches all have significant experience coaching overseas.
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I think we are getting a bit ahead of ourselves. If they want JJ to change to the ABs they will need him to stick with thr Landers until the end of the season.
Next year will be the problem.
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@WoodysRFC said in Highlanders 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:
Kane Jury. He coached the NZ Schools when they last beat Aust (twice).
Be a big step up having never coached at NPC level.
what is the step before NPC now days? what do we think is the minimum to have before your first NPC gig?
Seems the entirety of our current super coaches all have significant experience coaching overseas.
yeah super level....but i feel expecting NPC coaches to have international experience might be a stretch
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@WoodysRFC said in Highlanders 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:
Kane Jury. He coached the NZ Schools when they last beat Aust (twice).
Be a big step up having never coached at NPC level.
what is the step before NPC now days? what do we think is the minimum to have before your first NPC gig?
Seems the entirety of our current super coaches all have significant experience coaching overseas.
yeah super level....but i feel expecting NPC coaches to have international experience might be a stretch
Apologies, I may not be following the discussion, thought we were considering JJs replacement?
