The Silver Fern

@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:

Things will continue to move quickly - if it is Jamie to the All Blacks, I suspect that will be sealed by the end of the month (in other words before the start of the season) - but if there is one thing you can guarantee it will be on his terms.

He won't want to leave the Highlanders high and dry, so even if Kidwell or B Smith are in his preferred All Blacks coaching group, I don't envisage us losing them for this season - but we will lose Joseph if he is appointed - I can all but guarantee that he won't see the season out, though there may be a handover period.

To replace Jamie this late in the piece is tough, because this is Year 2 of Jamie's rebuild, and the whole idea internally was to kick on (I have heard the phrase the year before the year) - so do they put a sticking plaster on with an internal interim?

Clark Dermody: Has done it before, but was seemingly building to nowhere - and would he even want it?
David Kidwell: Likely on a Joseph ticket + is not a Union man.
Cory Brown: Feels like the most plausible internal option, given he has 4-5 years of head coaching experiece but notably has stepped back to be an assistant since 2021, and his head coach results were middling at best. From what I hear, not really the personality for the job either.
Ben Smith: Has never head coached before, would be a massive call for him to step up - and again, would he even want it?
Kane Jury: A bit like Smith in that he lacks experience at this level, but has head coaching experience with the NZSS. If he is rated highly internally then he could be a bolter?

Overall though, this really paints a picture that any internal appointment would be a sticking plaster, relying on blind luck where an underqualified or an incapable coach is placed in charge - and with the ruthless nature of the current Highlanders board, I don't see them doing that. A fun couple of weeks ahead.

The Landers and hopefully Joseph needs to hold as firm as long as possible into Super Rugby.

Joseph won't want to abandon the Landers. Even a quick recruitment process will go right up to the pre-season fixtures at the earliest.

If he is appointed. He needs to be allowed to remain a Super head coach.

From next year, NZR needs to assist the Landers in finding a replacement.

@Bones said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:

@Bovidae said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:

Apart from one botched kick when he slipped I thought that Roe was very good in this game. Obviously Ratima will start but Roe will be better for playing 80 mins.

That was quite funny, who was he yelling at as he went down?

I think he was just cursing himself.

@darylmitchell Inferior competition. Difference last year was Moana were worse so we beat them 2x, we beat the Tahs because they were worse, and we beat the Force in the worst game ever.

We lost our way at points this year, but the direction of travel has again been upwards.

@reprobate wait.... what do you mean? You're posting and it's not centred around the hurricanes? Unbelievable! Hurricanes is life and now I can't wind back from my first comment so I'll try brush it off by rolling out my favourite "well it's been let go before" bunk argument.

@taniwharugby thought other than Ardies brilliance individual feats Apoua would have been close to player of the day

@Chris-B said in Highlanders v Crusaders:

@Chris For a good part of the season you could construct a very strong "Missing XV" from injuries and gone from the previous year - have to play Richie at halfback. Would certainly have given what we were fielding a good drubbing.

Brewis, Taylor, Williams
Barrett, Whitelock
Sione Havili, Blackadder, Dunshea
Mo'unga, Burke
Goodhue, Ennor
Faingaánuku, Nanai, Jordan

The Canes have had just as many injuries this year and are still in contention so it’s not always just injuries. Every team goes through that.

Interestingly both the Crusaders and Canes really struggled when they had Hohepa at 10 for a long period. I think as long as you have key players in key positions then you can cope.

@Canes4life said in Chiefs v Highlanders:

@Mr-Fish said in Chiefs v Highlanders:

Few big injury returnees for the Chiefs this week.

Sititi?

Lord, Trask too.

Got around to watching this finally. Holland is very, very bloody fit, isn't he. Good to see JRK back, a few nice touches and a few errors, to be expected. Fakatava looks like he's been working on his kicking this year - he made a couple of errors with kicks just going out on the full, but I like the ambition - there's a big difference between a box kick which drifts too far infield and one which is very close to the sideline. Important if Miller is going to play, as he stands way too deep.
With everyone fit, there's a pretty dangerous side in there: Nareki, Tavatavanawai, JRK, Tangitau, Fakatava is a decent list of attacking threats, and they all look for space.

@KiwiInLondon said in Force v Highlanders:

@Bones said in Force v Highlanders:

@KiwiInLondon like I said earlier, he's not even noticeable apart from the odd lineout, definitely haven't noticed any niggle.

I notice it a lot around the ruck. He has resorted to pushing and pulling players in trying to disrupt but completely ineffective. He’s young but he’s had u20 and AB XV caps now and was touted as an all black. You expect those players to stand up in adversity, not shrink

Players get dragged down by those around them... he's running on fumes because we have no other locks, Dunshea is struggling, the loosies suck and the props have been ailing.

If he was looking good in this rabble, he'd be the best lock of all time.

@Dan54
The no-arm tackle on Hastie was a game decider. 40 meters in front of the Brumbies posts. This could have led to 3 points for the Highlanders. But the Ponies scored a few phases later from their scrum.
And the Lasaqa's turnover which was penalized just a few meters from the Highlanders try line. It also led to a Brumbies score.
And the three turnovers which seemed perfectly valid and which did not lead to Highlanders penalties : they allowed the Brumbies to keep on playing and to score the winning try.
However, I agree with you that the Highlanders made stupid mistakes (two out on the full restarts and one penalty kick which failed to find touch are the ones which come to my mind plus the ball they kept in their going forward scrum which they should have cleared out). BTW, the ensuing penalty was very harsh as it did seem that Bartlett was pushing straight.

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Reds:

@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders v Reds:

Slug out it out for this season. Then two words. Better Recruitment.

Our recruitment is miles better than what is has been. We have actually recruited players who have made a difference.

Good recruitment is not bringing starting players in. It is bringing the right young guys through.

Seems we were quick to sign U20 talent. Some may have not been the right guys.

Yes in retrospect I didn’t quite make my comment clear. The recruitment this year has been good and getting some players with actual super rugby experience has been incredible beneficial.

It was more a reflection on the past 2-3 years. I’m just incredibly frustrated that a group that has largely been together at NPC and super rugby has made very little progress. Everyone was very confident 2-3 years ago that we had a lot of up and coming talent and it really hasn’t resulted in many gains

@gt12 said in Highlanders v Blues:

@Dan54 said in Highlanders v Blues:

POTY points
6 - Finn Hurley (HIG)

3 - Harry Plummer (BLU), Hoskins Sotutu (BLU), Folau Fakatava (HIG)

2 - AJ Lam (BLU), Caleb Clarke (BLU), Timoci Tavatavanawai (HIG)

1 - Patrick Tuipulotu (BLU), Finlay Christie (BLU), Tanielu Teleʻa (HIG)

As good as Hurley was, Jim only getting 2 points from that game while Plummer and Hoskins walk away with 3, is, well, fucking mad.

I thought that Jim would get more, but as I say with system, I am sure the players on field know who is causing them the most problems in the opposition team. I was also surprised that Hoskins and Plummer got them too, but guess I missed stuff.

@Kiwiwomble said in Waratahs v Highlanders R1:

@Dan54 sweet, where was that announced?

Just last night I think .It on super rugby website.

@Higgins said in Preseason - Highlanders v Crusaders:

Excellent coverage from ThePits TV. Hadn't really heard much of them much before this and was expecting just a one or two camera job but they far exceeded that and look to have set a high benchmark for any others out there to try and match.

Couldn't agree more. Was real impressed with whole production. Enjoyed the commentary team too.

@SouthernMann my record on contracting isn't amazing. But my memory was that conversation on here last summer was that TUJ had signed on for 2025 and 2026.

Though that said if we've picked up Meihana Grindlay then that gives us a very stacked midfield and leaves us a bit thin on outside backs. We've got Big Jim, TUJ, Grindlay, Telea, Te Hiwi and Whaanga covering midfield plus Lowe (who played thirteen for a couple of games off the bench last season).

With Hervey in the wider training group it's hard not to feel we must be losing a midfielder somewhere if we've signed Grindlay.

@SouthernMann said in QF - Brumbies v Highlanders:

@KiwiMurph said in QF - Brumbies v Highlanders:

You need to put things in perspective

Highlanders had very young 10s - missing by fair their best midfield back, missing by far their best 8 in Renton.

Teams struggle to win in Canberra. They were undefeated there all season.

100%. No issue with saying we gave it good bloody go. Then in the second half, the team with several international players at home ran over the top of us. Compare the two teams and about five of our guys would make their team.

Bang on mate.

Incredibly tough to watch at the time and I let it get the better of me but take a few steps back and let the result for a bit and you do have to remind yourself of the bigger picture. Did bloody well to be there and to be honest, I can’t imagine many of us saw us finishing 6th once the slump started on the Aussie tour.

All eyes on the future, 2 or 3 solid signing and another year in the jersey for a lot of the young boys and we should expect a similar(if not better) table finish but hopefully more convincingly and also have some closer loses. The loses we had against NZ sides really got away from us so if we could close that gap and really push for 2026 then I’d be over the moon.

Huge emphasis on bigger picture.

@Canes4life

Impressive Haka

@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders v Drua:

Why was Faleafaga dropped earlier in the season? He seemed to be playing pretty well and then he was out of the 23 altogether with Millar eventually taking over. Was there an injury to someone?

im not sure it was so much dropped as our 3rd choice 10 (as he started the season) rotated out when our first choice 10 was available again

@Frank said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:

One of the best moments of the game for me (as an Akira fan) was watching him smash a Clan forward backwards, get up and drive through the ruck and then steal the ball. His work clearing bodies at the ruck this year has been top drawer.

Huge workrate, as normal.

What do you think Foster and (possibly Razor) see as his drawbacks?

It's hard to answer, as was said above his workrate has consistently been above a player like Frizzell who the coaches seemed to love. At the height of "he's lazy" he was often playing 80mins, and the last defender on the line on breaks, our main maul defender, etc. Never agreed with the laziness call.

The head patting, giving lip, probably doesn't help how he's perceived, but it's extremely rare for him to be penalised for that. And one of my favourite players was Sean Fitzpatrick, and AI isn't in the same league at being annoying as he was. At least I've missing him having his ear bitten in complete frustration.

He's not been helped with coaches putting him wide to make use of his handling and running skills against the backs. With Cotter keeping him tight he's been shining. Big defender, good in the lineout, covers two positions and has great link play.

Could be his year.

@Damo said in Highlanders v Crusaders:

@nzzp said in Highlanders v Crusaders:

Just saw the final try by the Crusaders. Interesting as was talking about it in the previous game - if refs want to call 'tackle', the ball carrier should not be able to continue forward. Players get released and crib a few metres - or in the case below, score a try.

@Damo you reffed, thoughts on this? Looked very very weird to me; I think a comp-wide interpretation of either calling maul when the attacking player's mate joins, or cracking down hard on cribbing metres would be a good solution. Or do both!

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/1cqjcwi/controversial_final_try_for_the_crusaders_vs_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

I think it is an unusual situation. I did not think it was a mail, because there was not a player from the ball carriers team attached (from memory - I could be wrong). The tacklers ought to have released earlier, but when they got the call to release they did so. Should the ball carrier be able to use the momentum to then go over the line and score?

Personally I think not but per the laws it was probably correct.

I am of view that if a player is reaching out to score the defenders should not have to release to allow the try. As per the laws as written this is not the current position.

I add I have not reffed for 3 years so I am not up to date with the current interpretations/trends.

I should have clicked the link..

I think the tackle was completed before the players joined so it couldn't be a maul.

I think it is an unusual situation but I can't fault the referee for the decision.