Highlanders 2023

[Stargazer]

@Kiwiwomble Plenty of info about him in that media release. Sounds like he's coming for the "experience" of coaching Super Rugby. It reads like a signing for one year only.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Stargazer yeah, sorry, meant knew nothing about him before reading the article

[Dan54]

@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:

https://thehighlanders.co.nz/news/highlanders-appoint-attack-coach?fbclid=IwAR1Re_T3pZ8wXQzFqZavKyxJlv-RZHDEje3ApMbaUbofImnPEsGKbajJanU

Man reading about things like this I prepared to get excited at the thought of Super starting, well I will get excited AFTER the NPC of course!

[Kiwiwomble]

@Dan54 already "after the NPC" for some of us

as i get older i get more excited about good coaches coming on board, flashy players have more often failed for us over the years, our best players have often been those getting a second shot to prove themselves of locals building on combinations....both more reliant on good coaches

[Asterik6]

@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:

https://thehighlanders.co.nz/news/highlanders-appoint-attack-coach?fbclid=IwAR1Re_T3pZ8wXQzFqZavKyxJlv-RZHDEje3ApMbaUbofImnPEsGKbajJanU

That's not Nick Evans... even Mark Ozich would've far better choice.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Asterik6 thats kind of assuming it just up to us (the Highlanders), we dont know they havent been talked too and didn't want to come down south or didn't want an assistant role or didn't want a short term deal

[KiwiMurph]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/130059257/highlanders-appoint-englishman-richard-whiffin-as-attack-coach-in-surprise-move

[SouthernMann]

@cgrant said in Highlanders 2023:

@SouthernMann
I rate Max Hicks a lot. But with all these locks, I could see him moved to the blindside. A combo with him plus MMT and Harmon could be interesting.

Still have Frizzell around the team at the moment. So he is a lock for the six gig. Hicks shpuld get some opportunities.

[cgrant]

@SouthernMann
He could wear the 6 jersey when Frizell is not available.

[Bones]

Looking more and more at our squad, it's pretty handy eh. All we need is for a young 10 to absolutely smash it out of the park.

It's our year!

[Canes4life]

@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:

Looking more and more at our squad, it's pretty handy eh. All we need is for a young 10 to absolutely smash it out of the park.

It's our year!

Who would be your no1 Landers side?

[Bones]

@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2023:

@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:

Looking more and more at our squad, it's pretty handy eh. All we need is for a young 10 to absolutely smash it out of the park.

It's our year!

Who would be your no1 Landers side?

Otoh something like

EdG
Pass
Ainsley
MSR
Dickson
Frizzel
Harmon
MMT
Smith
Gilbert
Nareki
TUG
Gregory
CGB
Hunt

[Tim]

@Bones Forwards should be an improvement, but that backline doesn't look threatening. Hope Thomas Umaga-Jensen stays fit.

[Canes4life]

@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:

@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2023:

@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:

Looking more and more at our squad, it's pretty handy eh. All we need is for a young 10 to absolutely smash it out of the park.

It's our year!

Who would be your no1 Landers side?

Otoh something like

EdG
Pass
Ainsley
MSR
Dickson
Frizzel
Harmon
MMT
Smith
Gilbert
Nareki
TUG
Gregory
CGB
Hunt

Is Bell too young to be the starting hooker? Plenty of options out there including the likes of Keruru-Symes aswell.

Surely there are better fullbacks than Hunt running around that the Landers can sign?

[Bones]

@Tim said in Highlanders 2023:

@Bones Forwards should be an improvement, but that backline doesn't look threatening. Hope Thomas Umaga-Jensen stays fit.

Outside the front row, the bench is bloody handy too. Especially if one of the young tens steps up and Gilbert can go to fullback. I'd be inclined to throw Miller into the deep end from what little I've seen of him.

Bench with Parkinson/Hicks, Lentjes, Fakatava, Hunt has some depth.

[Bones]

@Canes4life he's a good fullback, especially if he spends the off-season working on kicking better than a ten year old.

[Tim]

@Bones Is Hunt going to be available next year?

[Bones]

@Tim said in Highlanders 2023:

@Bones Is Hunt going to be available next year?

I think you're confusing me with someone who might have even a little bit of knowledge

[Canes4life]

@Bones he's solid for sure but I would potentially swap him and Gilbert around. There seems to be a trend across most franchises that there is a need to recruit outside backs. It will be interesting to see who lands where.

[Bones]

@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2023:

@Bones he's solid for sure but I would potentially swap him and Gilbert around. There seems to be a trend across most franchises that there is a need to recruit outside backs. It will be interesting to see who lands where.

I don't want Hunt getting in the way. He's like a lowlight reel of Mounga/Dmac when he's at ten.

Heck I'd throw Smith or Fakatava there first.