Hurricanes v Highlanders

[frugby]

For the Highlanders, I guess we really just go and have a crack. Nobody is going to be back from injury so probably go with a more or less unchanged side.

1. de Groot
2. Taylor (Be good to give him a start if Bell has a bit of a niggle)
3. Ma'u
4. Hicks
5. Dunshea
6. Haig
7. Withy
8. Harmon
9. Fakatava
10. Millar
11. Nareki
12. Gilbert
13. Te Hiwi
14. Tavatavanawai
15. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
16. Bell
17. Johnstone (Bulk up the scrum)
18. Ainsley
19. Holland (Slight rest)
20. Broughton
21. Arscott
22. Faleafaga
23. Garden-Bachop

[nzzp]

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Highlanders:

@frugby a lot rides on that Rebels vs Drua game. Who knew that would be the most important match this round when the schedule was drawn up last year.

Eh, kinda. Battling for 8th place in a 12 team comp is (almost certainly) delaying the inevitable. It's the mental weakness of the Crusaders bottling a bunch of games they should have won that has them scrapping that out ... and every other team gets nervous they may refind their mojo in the playoffs.

It's like a vampire. Not dead until the head is cut off, the stake is in the heart and they have turned to dust

[Canes4life]

@frugby that's definitely a team the Canes can't take lightly which is why I think the Canes will go with their strongest available side and only rest anyone that really needs it / has any niggles.

[SouthernMann]

Don't expect to win. A close loss will be what I want to see. Look competitive. Show we are on the right track and hope to do a raid on the Brumbies the week after. A few clashes I'm keen to see though. De Groot v Lomax, things didn't go de Groot's way last time and he will be wanting a big game. Holland v Delaney. A good gauge on where both players are at in the pecking order. Haig v Shields. Similar players. Think the Sheilds style is similar to how Haig will end up. Haig is a bit bigger though. Fakatava v Perenara. Perenara should get a pack going forward. Which will give him a bit of an advantage. Good chance for Fakatava to show he should be in the conversation. Cameron v Millar. Two quite capable, yet very limited first fives. Cameron is probably the style of player Millar will be similar to down the line.

[Kiwiwomble]

@SouthernMann yeah, this has "bigger picture" written all over it, use it the gel the core squad ready for playoffs, if we get done by some next level acts of brilliance then fine, if we get beat because we didnt put our shoulders on or committed loads of handling errors then thats on us

[SouthernMann]

My feeling is that this game will be lost around the ruck with dominant carries and in the midfield. The Canes have five midfielders better than our best offering in 12 and 13 jerseys. While our locks and loosies will need to have big defensive games to protect ourselves around the fringes.

[Kiwiwomble]

@SouthernMann you can see it now cant you (because we've seen it before), pressure in midfield, scambling to defend...and it either breaks and theyre under the posts...or our wings get drawn in and we get beaten too the corner

[Landers92]

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Highlanders:

Those with ? against their name are: Shields (quad), Aumua (knee), Iose (concussion), Love (knee), Lomax (unidentified), Delany (unidentified).

If I were the canes I’d rest all of the above if they aren’t quite 100%.

BUT, I’m not canes and I’m a highlanders supporter so I would also like them to rest all of the above

This game is on after the Drua vs Rebels so it’s most likely the teams will know what’s on the line/who possible opponents are the following week before kick off. Due to this there could be a couple last minute changes/pull outs, who knows but I wouldn’t be surprised

For the Highlanders, keep the same team out there as last weekend with potentially just adding Millar at 10 if that’s what the coaches would prefer. We just need to build on last week and carry a solid performance and some confidence into the quarter finals.

[antipodean]

@nzzp said in Hurricanes v Highlanders:

@foobaNZ said in Hurricanes v Highlanders:

I think Blues will beat Chiefs, but not sure they will win by a 3 try margin.

Depends if we see Chiefs A or Chiefs B

No need to worry, the Chiefs are so bad they lost to the Crusaders.

[frugby]

Based off of Dermody's comments on SENZ could be seeing a bit of rest/rotation this week - Millar also still a week away.

Could be something like:

1. de Groot
2. Taylor
3. Ma'u
4. Dunshea
5. Tucker
6. Hicks
7. Harmon
8. Broughton
9. Arscott
10. Faleafaga
11. Nareki
12. Gilbert
13. Te Hiwi
14. Tavatavanawai
15. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
16. Bell/Jackson
17. Johnstone
18. Ainsley
19. Stodart
20. Michaels
21. Hastie
22. Whaanga
23. Garden-Bachop

[Canes4life]

By those mins in the Highlanders thread you'd think it would make sense to give Tavatavanawai a rest. Get him nice and fresh to stream roll the Brumbies (likely) next week.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Canes4life if anyone else suggested it i might have fallen for that!

[Canes4life]

@Kiwiwomble worth a shot.

[frugby]

It's a bit grim. Feels very reminiscent of that game in Napier when we rested a bunch of players back in 2015... this could get ugly for the Highlanders.

[Canes4life]

@frugby and then you upset the party when it really mattered. I have no sympathy. :upside-down_face:

[SouthernMann]

Was wanting to go to this game. Will give it a miss now. Not keen to see us get flogged by 50. No JRK, Tavatavanawai, Haig, Fakatava on the bench, Withy rested.... Hurley at fullback and Michaels to debut

[Kiwiwomble]

what the fuck...straight in to start?

"hey, you know the hurley guy and hes got some skill but a bit small?....how about we surround him with other smaller guys....just so he gets no protections at all....sound good?"

[Canes4life]

Aumua back, still no Lomax.

[SouthernMann]

This could get very ugly

[Kiwiwomble]

Canes by a million...per half