Highlanders 2026
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@Yeetyaah said in Highlanders 2026:
@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2026:
This came up on my Insta thread.
Have seen that floating around, not sure I agree with most of those points. Especially the part about the Landers guaranteeing him a starting role, he could move to Dunedin and have a mental breakdown about the cold or something, no one is guaranteed a starting jersey.
It's all very strange when Jacomb turned down the Crusaders to stay at the Chiefs but now he wants to move to the Landers.
We did guarantee someone a bench spot this year apparently...
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2026:
@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2026:
This came up on my Insta thread.
A lot of the things that poster mentioned are from this particular article below which I feel someone may have already posted in here.
Page had been absent for about two years, surprised to see the comeback.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Hoping it will be true. A big missing ingredient for our squad. He probably regrets not making the move to the Crusaders. Especially considering the attention the Crusaders guys got. Jacomb was stuck on the bench.
The most pleasing thing for a Highlanders perspective is the performances of our guys. JRK, Lasaqa, Pledger, Casey (hopefully), Nareki, Jack Taylor, Ma'u and Withy. All these guys have been dominant at this level.
Sure, they are not playing in the ABs like other franchises. They are looking like they are a level up at this grade. Promising to see.
Plus the development of Mika Muliaina! What is there not to love about that.
Looking at the talent being developed down here, couldn't be more excited. The 2010s were a lean decade, so it's good to see some proper things happening.
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@SouthernMann Mansoon of contract and hasn't committed looking at options.
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@george33 said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann Mansoon of contract and hasn't committed looking at options.
While I am expecting Manson to be one and done. Your track record with Highlanders wingers for 2026 is dubious at best.
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i liked manson
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@SouthernMann he said it himself on radio interview.
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@george33 said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann he said it himself on radio interview.
As I said. One and done. I don't get to listen to much sport radio during rhe day.
I was more referring to your hit rate with Landers wingers haha.
When relaying social media posts or media interviews @george33 cite them. Say something like, as stated on Stuff, SportNation, RNZ, The Blues social media player XX has stated rhey will not be around next year. Changes it from a rumour to a confirmed statement. Even provide a link
Manson had pace. Just couldn't get the rest of his game right.
Hope we land the young Auckland lad
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Hearing the Jacomb signing is official
No clue how reliable the source is tho… -
@SouthernMann It was SportNation afternoons with Staff around 1.30pm approximately think you can listen to podcast thru SportNation.
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Have heard the Highlanders are heading to Fiji this year, so can probably somewhat start piecing together the draw.
Moana at home in Super Round is another confirmed one, and can probably almost guarantee we will have the Waratahs at home as have played them over there the last two years. I would guess that this might come quite early in the season, as they will probably double up with a game at Orangetheory.
I reckon there is also a reasonable chance the Brumbies play us in Dunedin the week before or after Super Round.
Would mean trips away to the Reds and Western Force which probably checks out.
Likely to see the Crusaders at home early in the season, and a trip up there later on in the new stadium. I would guess that including their Super Round match (probably the Chiefs?), they will get three more games, likely against us and the Blues?
Should be Blues Home and Away, as we only played them in Dunedin last year.
There is a reasonable chance we might get the Force or the Drua Home and Away as our other double up if they aren't coming to Super Round.
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Dylan Pledger 2027
Stanley Solomon 2027
Josh Tengblad 2028
All to be confirmed at 8 AM this morning.
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:
That will mean he is still eligible for the NZ U20s next year.
U20 competitions like the U20 TRC and U20 World Championship use birth years as cut-offs. So for this year, everyone who was born in ’05 or later was eligible for the tournaments. If you were born in December ’04 – like Xavi Taele (dob: 19/12/04), for example – then you were no longer eligible for 2025, despite being just 20 for most of the year.
Tengblad’s 20th birthday is in October. So he’s already played his last game for the NZ U20s.
Apologies for the pedantry. More on topic, I think all three players are great signings. If you saw how quickly Pledger adapted to the pace of the game against Wellington during the match itself – his service getting quicker and quicker as the match wore on – then you’d think he’s already got a shot at serious minutes at Super Rugby-level next year.
Hopefully Tengblad will get some minutes for Otago soon as well. He might still only be 19 but I think he’s already more than good enough for the provincial level.
Liam Napier: The case for Chiefs playmaker to join Highlanders
