Highlanders 2026
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@Canes4life i meant which rebels jersey? they wore solid blue jersey generally
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@Canes4life i meant which rebels jersey? they wore solid blue jersey generally
They always had mostly white away jerseys that looked like this. Irrelevant really now the Rebels are no longer.
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@Canes4life oh, their away jerseys? ok
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Players are back on deck.now apart from our two ABs (Jan) and AB XV (before Christmas).
The questions I'm wondering sbout is who from our wider squad is being guaranteed spots the year after and will we see grtting gametime.
Casey and Tengblad are confirmed.
Shearer seems like an insurance policy. Lennox is a good player. It just pisses me off he spends half the season in the backfield. Fakatava may have clauses in his contract.
All three of our first fives will be off contract at the end of the year. Cam might spit the dummy and bugger off. Neither of the other two should be persevered with. There are no 10s in the wider group. Mika mihjt be considered ready by then.
Hooker. Vikena has battled big time. Lolofie has potential. Just needs to get stronger.
Prop: Wingham should come back in for Ta'avao. DLB can't be around much longer.
Lauaki is a bit of a watch and wait. Might be the fast twitch no8 we need.
Grindlay and Harvey are both 12s. Te Hiwi will be under pressure. Grindlay will likely be expecting to get back to a full deal. I believe Grindlay could be a like for like replacement for Tele'a.
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@SouthernMann Jimmy taylor will be spending a few weeks around the team this pre season, that young fella will probably begin his 1st class career as a fullback tho due to being in the same team as Muliaina
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@Kiwiwomble go one size up
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Ordering this right now
https://shop.nzsuperrugbyclubs.co.nz/highlanders/Style/CSI-HI26MT1
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The ODT has lsited four guys as coming back from injury. No timelines on their return. Was in the article yeesterday.
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@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
Are we completely injury free leading up to pre season or have any players been confirmed to miss a few rounds/season?
Jim is a couple of weeks away, I imagine Te Hiwi and Ma’u won’t be ready till after Christmas
Renton is out till the back end of January
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
Are we completely injury free leading up to pre season or have any players been confirmed to miss a few rounds/season?
Jim is a couple of weeks away, I imagine Te Hiwi and Ma’u won’t be ready till after Christmas
Renton is out till the back end of January
I think Tavatavanawai has just had or is about to have surgery on his knee?
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Enjoy this honesty from Lucas Casey in his Highlanders bio. No interest in the Blues
https://thehighlanders.co.nz/our-teams/highlanders-super-rugby/lucas-casey/
What does representing the Highlanders mean?
It's my childhood dream to play professional rugby. Despite being from Northland/Blues I have never really supported them. Playing Highlanders U20s built a massive love for the region and team.
Few hopes and questions for the season.
Finn Hurley becomes a dominant no 23.
I think the wee fella has great potential to be a lethal 30 minute man. Really injecting his pace and acceleration at the back end of games. Bring him on and have two roaming wing/fullbacks with him and JRK on the field.
Which one out of stanley Solomon and Tito-Harris take Nareki's wing when he gets injured.
Nareki will be a first string winger. Pesamistically, he will likely get injured at some point. Both are bloody talented. Solomon probably has similar skills interms of kicking and allround game. Tito-Harris more likely to spell Tangitau.
Who the heck will play no8?
Shrug. Who knows. The players picked in the other two spots will probbaly determine the skills required out of the 8 on a week to week basis.
How early will we see Lucas Casey?
Lots of attrition in the loosies and locks. I reckon he will pop up in the early rounds.
The balance of halfbacks. Who gets 9 and 21.
Really lucky to have Fakatava playing some of the best rugby in his career. As well as the kid wonder. Commonsense says they will share the starting spot. Although we have seen how much Cam Millar benefited from having Pledger inside him.
