Highlanders 2026
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Now take this with a grain of salt, but I’m hearing some chat about a player arriving into Dunedin last week and had a medical check done before looking to sign on. This player is/was playing France.
Can’t tell you if the player is French or if it’s a kiwi possibly looking to return. Shit it might all be Chinese whispers but as you all know I don’t share it unless the source is at least half decent…
A situation to keep an eye on anyway. Hope I’m not having my leg pulled and end up looking like an idiot haha
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@Landers92 Could this not just be Tomas Lavanini, or is it definitely someone different?
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@Landers92 I had heard ages ago we were looking overseas for a prop... Given we have seemingly got three tightheads, and given what else we have on the books, my money would be on a loosehead prop.
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Like I said, take it with a grain of salt. Could be having my leg pulled but thought it could make for some good discussion at the very least.
It isn’t something I can really see happening with already bringing in Lavanini. I guess time will tell
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2026:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2026:
Would be a doozy if it's true and we've picked up a hooker from Lyon...
Roxey good addition very nimble.
Not sure who that is but the one I'm thinking of rhymes with Riam Roltman.
Ok I didn’t realise he hooked in his spare time
@Chris said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2026:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2026:
Would be a doozy if it's true and we've picked up a hooker from Lyon...
Roxey good addition very nimble.
Not sure who that is but the one I'm thinking of rhymes with Riam Roltman.
Ok I didn’t realise he hooked in his spare time
Occasionally throws to his own lineout too.
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The trouble area for the side will be the 10-12-13 backline axis.
We are behind other NZ sides in that area. Which will be magnified if we get injuries.
I also wonder about Whaanga's pace. There have been two instances where you'd expect he should have scored, but just looked like he didn't have the pace to get there. One against Waikato or was it BoP? where he cut in instead of going for the corner and then the break he made against Canterbury on the weekend. The wind he was running into against Canterbury was a factor. It does seem like he doesn't have the pace and potentially knows it. He was always going to fill out over the last couple of years and is probably over 105kg. There needs to be a balance between that and even a 10 - 15m burst of speed to mix in with the size advantage he has.
On Te Hiwi. Injury prone yes, I do think before getting injured (again), he ws on for a bit of a breakout NPC campaign. He came back from injury off the bench and stepped in well once TUJ became unavailable.
Tele'a is a bit on an anomaly at NPC level. Looks great at Super level slips into a poorly performing Auckland team sits on the bench. Rotates onto the wing and fills in where needed. Can just never judge his form for Auckland.
It is just there are quite a few similar midfielders on our books. Big, not overly quick. Jim and Pasitoa are the points of difference from the others who are primarily carriers.
Vikena is a massive concern. That guy just looks like he has lost all confidence. I really want to see 10 - 15kg go on Kempton his ball skills are just out of the box for a hooker.
Broughton is an interesting one. Great skills. Just can't seem to bulk up. May be we may see a focus on his size this upcoming pre-season. He should be coming into his prime years.
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
The trouble area for the side will be the 10-12-13 backline axis.
We are behind other NZ sides in that area. Which will be magnified if we get injuries.
I also wonder about Whaanga's pace. There have been two instances where you'd expect he should have scored, but just looked like he didn't have the pace to get there. One against Waikato or was it BoP? where he cut in instead of going for the corner and then the break he made against Canterbury on the weekend. The wind he was running into against Canterbury was a factor. It does seem like he doesn't have the pace and potentially knows it. He was always going to fill out over the last couple of years and is probably over 105kg. There needs to be a balance between that and even a 10 - 15m burst of speed to mix in with the size advantage he has.
On Te Hiwi. Injury prone yes, I do think before getting injured (again), he ws on for a bit of a breakout NPC campaign. He came back from injury off the bench and stepped in well once TUJ became unavailable.
Tele'a is a bit on an anomaly at NPC level. Looks great at Super level slips into a poorly performing Auckland team sits on the bench. Rotates onto the wing and fills in where needed. Can just never judge his form for Auckland.
It is just there are quite a few similar midfielders on our books. Big, not overly quick. Jim and Pasitoa are the points of difference from the others who are primarily carriers.
Vikena is a massive concern. That guy just looks like he has lost all confidence. I really want to see 10 - 15kg go on Kempton his ball skills are just out of the box for a hooker.
Broughton is an interesting one. Great skills. Just can't seem to bulk up. May be we may see a focus on his size this upcoming pre-season. He should be coming into his prime years.
I’d be happy with a 13 that is good defensively, both in contact and positioning. We don’t need a ball carrying centre, just one that can pass and tackle well. The 12-13—14 defensive axis last season was shocking. Needs a glue guy at 13 at the least
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Few interesting things in here. Sexton is confirmed to have a wider training group Gig with a Super Rugby franchise. Assuming that’s the highlanders, and Hayden Michael’s is apparently returning to the landers.
Aho, Peni and Paula Latu likely off to MP.
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Few interesting things in here. Sexton is confirmed to have a wider training group Gig with a Super Rugby franchise. Assuming that’s the highlanders, and Hayden Michael’s is apparently returning to the landers.
Aho, Peni and Paula Latu likely off to MP.
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Few interesting things in here. Sexton is confirmed to have a wider training group Gig with a Super Rugby franchise. Assuming that’s the highlanders, and Hayden Michael’s is apparently returning to the landers.
Aho, Peni and Paula Latu likely off to MP.
@handa457 I don't wanna knock the lad Michaels too much but more so just feel the landers should ask nzr for special dispensation to have lucas casey avaliable to play from the get go. would fans from other teams be bothered? everyone would be better off for having Casey avaliable to pick in their super fantasy team
https://www.facebook.com/100070602050523/posts/846880621008665/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v -
@handa457 I don't wanna knock the lad Michaels too much but more so just feel the landers should ask nzr for special dispensation to have lucas casey avaliable to play from the get go. would fans from other teams be bothered? everyone would be better off for having Casey avaliable to pick in their super fantasy team
https://www.facebook.com/100070602050523/posts/846880621008665/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v@Grooter said in Highlanders 2026:
@handa457 I don't wanna knock the lad Michaels too much but more so just feel the landers should ask nzr for special dispensation to have lucas casey avaliable to play from the get go. would fans from other teams be bothered? everyone would be better off for having Casey avaliable to pick in their super fantasy team
https://www.facebook.com/100070602050523/posts/846880621008665/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6vThis is just the consequence of dishing out three year contracts to very much unproven players. The lad is coming into the third year of his deal and has played 15 minutes of Super footy.
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Sounds to me like Savory is clutching at straws. We know Shearer and Souchon have supposedly got WTG deals.
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
Sounds to me like Savory is clutching at straws. We know Shearer and Souchon have supposedly got WTG deals.
Not all of his readers do though.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
Sounds to me like Savory is clutching at straws. We know Shearer and Souchon have supposedly got WTG deals.
Not all of his readers do though.
@SouthernMann I think you’ve missed my point.
Savory has no intel here, he is guessing. He talks in that Shearer and Souchon could have deals, but we’ve heard on here they do have WTG contracts.
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@SouthernMann I think you’ve missed my point.
Savory has no intel here, he is guessing. He talks in that Shearer and Souchon could have deals, but we’ve heard on here they do have WTG contracts.
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann I think you’ve missed my point.
Savory has no intel here, he is guessing. He talks in that Shearer and Souchon could have deals, but we’ve heard on here they do have WTG contracts.
Don't be condescending. I am not missing anything.
We have heard. We are nerds who track a rugby forum.
He does have more intel than his readers. Who he is providing intel to. He knows that things are lined up.
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Will be interesting to see what happens at Tighthead for 2026 - Ma'u, Kautai, Wingham and Ta'avao. Thoughts?
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@ScrumDog if the reports that Renton and Michael’s are returning then it makes sense that Wingham would be too. If so I assume we see him swap over to Loosehead.
