Highlanders 2025
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Same negative bullshit. From the same negative poster.
Few points.
These guys have had plenty of NPC experience.
Yip. Some have played around three/four seasons. Thing is if you tier NPC, Super and international. It is NPC (C tier), Super (B tier) and international (A tier). Super Rugby is full of experienced international players. We have a loosehead and a halfback who played a handfull of internationals. That's it. We are playing teams with 6/8 internationals weekly. The Brumbies, as I mentioned had 200 international caps combined with their starting props.
Other franchises have had younger players who have done better than ours
Don't agree. Start from 2021 NZ U20 squad. Which aligns to when we went from a recruitment focus to a development focus.
Out of the national squad. We have six players in the 2025 squad that were involved. Vikena, JRK, Holland, Howden, Withy and Hastie involved. The players to have spent time with the All Blacks have been Lord, Bell, Fihaki. Holland, Lakai and Love. Our cohort is certainly in the top group from that squad.
There are always risks with signing young players. They are effectively taking up a spot while you work out whether they are capable of playing at that level. Some have not worked yet. Such as Wingham, Michaels, potentially Te Hiwi.
A lot of other squads also have the benefit of bringing in their younger players alongside established players. Macca Springer and Chay Fihaki play alongside Sevu Reece and Will Jordan. George Bell packed down beside All Blacks etc. Due to being youth focused. We simply do not have the experience to support the development of our young players. They are needing to learn on the job.
Why don't we just recruit better players...
Well we have been. The last two seasons we have seen some highly influential players come into the side. Guys like JRK, Tangitau, Tele'a, Lasaqa, Tanatavanawai and Vikena have all been recruited from outside the franchise and have been better than the players they have replaced. I haven't included players from inside the franchise.
Compare that to new players in previous years. Where we recruited guys like Paea, Lowe, Gregory, Whetton, Nabura, Kuridrani, Milner-Skudder the list can go on. We certainly have a more targeted approach to recruitment these days.
Recruitment is also multifactored. Does the player want to move to Dunedin. Does the player see value in moving to the Highlanders. Are they the right fit. Will they be a long-term solution for both the player and the franchise. It isn't as easy as just better players should come and play with us.
Is the season an improvement?
From my perspective it is a massive yes. Only two wins. Not ideal. A losing bonus point in every game. Is a big step forward. Jeez we copped some punpings over the last few years. We are playing some of the most exciting rugby in the comp. Is there room for improvement. Heck yeah. But the bad should not outweigh the good.
What we need to do
We really need to retain the young guys that are performing. We can't be seen as a finishing school. Where we pick up players unable to get gametime behind All Blacks. Get them up to international standard and then they go home after their contracts are up.
From our U20 playing group I'd hope to see about six or seven of the current playing group make the step up out of the current cohort. I think Mika Muliaina is probably our long-term 10, which needs to be the big focus over the next few years. Same with midfield and the scrum.
Some people may say I'm offering excuses for continued loses. I just think it is the reality of this playing group. Joseph just needs to keep their heads up.
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Same negative bullshit. From the same negative poster.
Few points.
These guys have had plenty of NPC experience.
Yip. Some have played around three/four seasons. Thing is if you tier NPC, Super and international. It is NPC (C tier), Super (B tier) and international (A tier). Super Rugby is full of experienced international players. We have a loosehead and a halfback who played a handfull of internationals. That's it. We are playing teams with 6/8 internationals weekly. The Brumbies, as I mentioned had 200 international caps combined with their starting props.
Other franchises have had younger players who have done better than ours
Don't agree. Start from 2021 NZ U20 squad. Which aligns to when we went from a recruitment focus to a development focus.
Out of the national squad. We have six players in the 2025 squad that were involved. Vikena, JRK, Holland, Howden, Withy and Hastie involved. The players to have spent time with the All Blacks have been Lord, Bell, Fihaki. Holland, Lakai and Love. Our cohort is certainly in the top group from that squad.
There are always risks with signing young players. They are effectively taking up a spot while you work out whether they are capable of playing at that level. Some have not worked yet. Such as Wingham, Michaels, potentially Te Hiwi.
A lot of other squads also have the benefit of bringing in their younger players alongside established players. Macca Springer and Chay Fihaki play alongside Sevu Reece and Will Jordan. George Bell packed down beside All Blacks etc. Due to being youth focused. We simply do not have the experience to support the development of our young players. They are needing to learn on the job.
Why don't we just recruit better players...
Well we have been. The last two seasons we have seen some highly influential players come into the side. Guys like JRK, Tangitau, Tele'a, Lasaqa, Tanatavanawai and Vikena have all been recruited from outside the franchise and have been better than the players they have replaced. I haven't included players from inside the franchise.
Compare that to new players in previous years. Where we recruited guys like Paea, Lowe, Gregory, Whetton, Nabura, Kuridrani, Milner-Skudder the list can go on. We certainly have a more targeted approach to recruitment these days.
Recruitment is also multifactored. Does the player want to move to Dunedin. Does the player see value in moving to the Highlanders. Are they the right fit. Will they be a long-term solution for both the player and the franchise. It isn't as easy as just better players should come and play with us.
Is the season an improvement?
From my perspective it is a massive yes. Only two wins. Not ideal. A losing bonus point in every game. Is a big step forward. Jeez we copped some punpings over the last few years. We are playing some of the most exciting rugby in the comp. Is there room for improvement. Heck yeah. But the bad should not outweigh the good.
What we need to do
We really need to retain the young guys that are performing. We can't be seen as a finishing school. Where we pick up players unable to get gametime behind All Blacks. Get them up to international standard and then they go home after their contracts are up.
From our U20 playing group I'd hope to see about six or seven of the current playing group make the step up out of the current cohort. I think Mika Muliaina is probably our long-term 10, which needs to be the big focus over the next few years. Same with midfield and the scrum.
Some people may say I'm offering excuses for continued loses. I just think it is the reality of this playing group. Joseph just needs to keep their heads up.
@SouthernMann completely agree.
Our recruitment has been substantially better than previous years. There's only a handful of guys I have question marks over (Michaels, Wingham, DLB, Naeeta, Arscott and as others have said potentially Te Hiwi. and Falefaga.)
Not only that but this is the first year in five or six where more than two or three of our players are realistically in the All Blacks Frame.
Fakatava, Haig and Jacob Kneepkins are all injured but with a good season could be all blacks.
Personally I think the third halfback spot in the All Blacks is a three way race betwene Hastie, Preston and Hotham at the moment. While I think Ma'au will see a black jersey this season.
Tangitau, De Groot, Holland and Big Jim all stand very decent chances of winning a black Jersey. TK Howden, Venevui Lasaqua and Soanne Vikenna are all exciting guys with huge upsides.
While Jack Taylor, Cam Millar, Josh Tengblad, Dylan Pledger Josh Whaanga, Will Stodart and Finn Hurley are all players that Razor will be tracking with an eye towards post 2027.
I don't think it's unrealistic that in a season or two this side will have 6 - 7 All Blacks in it and the stability the comes with it to start winning titles.
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Ma'u has largely been very good for the Highlanders - last week's bossing at the hands of the Reds aside. Not a lot of hype around him but can definitely see him getting a black jersey at some point.
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@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders 2025:
can definitely see him getting a black jersey at some point.
From rebel sports? I really can't see it, there's a number of better players he'd have to leapfrog.
@Bones I reiterate my point that there's literally no other 120kg plus tight-head in the All Blacks frame in NZ. Psalio Tosi isn't getting game time, and Tevita Mafelio probably isn't going to get capped at his age.
We know that All Blacks don't pick under 120kg tightheads or props in general any more. So it's hard not to see him getting a black jersey.
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@Bones I reiterate my point that there's literally no other 120kg plus tight-head in the All Blacks frame in NZ. Psalio Tosi isn't getting game time, and Tevita Mafelio probably isn't going to get capped at his age.
We know that All Blacks don't pick under 120kg tightheads or props in general any more. So it's hard not to see him getting a black jersey.
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@Bones I reiterate my point that there's literally no other 120kg plus tight-head in the All Blacks frame in NZ. Psalio Tosi isn't getting game time, and Tevita Mafelio probably isn't going to get capped at his age.
We know that All Blacks don't pick under 120kg tightheads or props in general any more. So it's hard not to see him getting a black jersey.
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@george33 said in Highlanders 2025:
My understanding that Caleb will be back at Blues next season,,
it was reported he had signed 2 year deal 25-26
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@george33 Considering he is on a two year deal I'd be very surprised:
https://thehighlanders.co.nz/news/highlanders-confirm-five-players-for-2025new-blog-post/
And failing that, he is finally getting a run of games, so why an earth would he go back to compete with Mark Tele'a and Caleb Clarke.
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@george33 who by? and whats changed?
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@george33 who by? and whats changed?
@Kiwiwomble contracts obviously, he won't be a Highlander next season,
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@Kiwiwomble contracts obviously, he won't be a Highlander next season,
@george33 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble contracts obviously, he won't be a Highlander next season,
I don't doubt the Blues might want him back, and there may well be negotiations, but there is absolutely zero chance in the space of seven weeks, when he was somewhat of an unknown coming into the season, the Blues have already agreed terms, and the Highlanders have agreed to end his contract early.
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another @george33 post bookmarked to look back on and chuckle one day
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
another @george33 post bookmarked to look back on and chuckle one day
It reminds me of when you used to have a big night at the club and you'd end up talking to that old fella who's watched every game and has all sorts of conspiracy theories about NZ rugby.
That guy is George's sauce.
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@Kiwiwomble contracts obviously, he won't be a Highlander next season,
@george33 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble contracts obviously, he won't be a Highlander next season,
so the contract magically changed and someone looked at it and was all "damn!....its changed....we'd love to keep you but the contract has changed so you have to leave next year"
youre either being deliberately obtuse or a bit slow
the contract changing is a result of something else which i believe is obvious what i was actually asking? have the blues bought out his contract? has he got family issues and asked for compassionate release? does he hate it down here and threw his toys?
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@george33 Bit like Roigard going to the Chiefs?
Super Rugby has been going for seven weeks, and I'm meant to believe Tangitau has already ripped up his contract, and the Highlanders have agreed to it that quickly?
