Hurricanes v Highlanders
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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.
@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
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@Landers92 yeah without knowing the full status of a good chunk of players it will be interesting to see what kind of team is announced on Wednesday afternoon.
No point risking anyone if they have slight niggles. For example, if Love is still nursing a sore knee then we need to rest him. We have Godfrey who's waiting in the wings so he can start and we wouldn't lose too much IMO.
It would be great to rest Numia, Sangster, Lakai and Tosi noting they have had massive workloads lately but that will only happen if the guys with ? are cleared fit.
Those with ? against their name are: Shields (quad), Aumua (knee), Iose (concussion), Love (knee), Lomax (unidentified), Delany (unidentified).
@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.
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@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
@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.
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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:
- de Groot
- Taylor
- Ma'u
- Dunshea
- Tucker
- Hicks
- Harmon
- Broughton
- Arscott
- Faleafaga
- Nareki
- Gilbert
- Te Hiwi
- Tavatavanawai
- Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
- Bell/Jackson
- Johnstone
- Ainsley
- Stodart
- Michaels
- Hastie
- Whaanga
- Garden-Bachop
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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.
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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.
@Canes4life if anyone else suggested it i might have fallen for that!
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@Canes4life if anyone else suggested it i might have fallen for that!
@Kiwiwomble worth a shot.
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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.
@frugby and then you upset the party when it really mattered. I have no sympathy. :upside-down_face:
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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
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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?"
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Aumua back, still no Lomax.
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This could get very ugly
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Canes by a million...per half
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For those that don't want to scroll through instagram
Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, James Tucker, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Brayden Iose, TJ Perenara, Brett Cameron, Salesi Rayasi, Jordie Barrett (c), Billy Proctor, Josh Moorby, Ruben Love
RESERVES: James O'Reilly, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tevita Mafileo, Justin Sangster, Peter Lakai, Jordi Vijoen, Riley Higgins, Bailyn Sullivan
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For those that don't want to scroll through instagram
Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, James Tucker, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Brayden Iose, TJ Perenara, Brett Cameron, Salesi Rayasi, Jordie Barrett (c), Billy Proctor, Josh Moorby, Ruben Love
RESERVES: James O'Reilly, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tevita Mafileo, Justin Sangster, Peter Lakai, Jordi Vijoen, Riley Higgins, Bailyn Sullivan
@Duluth good to see Jordi on the bench. Would prefer him to Judd in the playoffs tbh.
No Delany, Lomax or Shields for this one.
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Highlanders naming an out and out B team with a few starters sprinkled in. I understand the reasoning but I was wanting us to name our strongest team to build momentum and continuity going into next week.
Looks like we are banking on the Drua to beat the Rebels so we can hold on to 6th spot.
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So with top spot still on the cards for the Canes I think we need to play our best team against the Landers. I watched the Chiefs game again and couldn't see what injury Delany picked up around the 60 min mark, hope taking him off was just precautionary.
Lomax is likely to come back into the mix next week and I hear Aumua is close to selection. Not too sure about Shields and Kirifi. Would be great to get those guys some mins before we hit the playoffs. If we can solidify home advantage and have a full squad to pick from (other than Roigard) I think we've got every chance to go all the way.
There will be some eagerness to rest Numia and Lakai because of their workloads lately so they might be given a spell, Love may also take a seat this week to rest his knee. Otherwise I expect Laidlaw to pick our strongest squad.
The team likely for the Landers based on the above would probably look like the below.
- Rakete-Stones
- O'Reilly
- Tosi
- Sangster
- Walker-Leawere
- Flanders
- Kirifi
- Iose
- Perenara
- Cameron
- Naholo
- Barrett
- Proctor
- Moorby
- Godfrey (if Love is ruled out)
- Aumua (bring him back via the bench if fit)
- Mafileo
- Lomax (bring him back via the bench if fit)
- Delany (bring him back via the bench if fit)
- Shields
- Judd
- Sullivan
- Rayasi
So, Judd was available. Jordi offers a lot more as a reserve option so hope he gets a good amount of game time
https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/news/article/hurricanes-celebrate-heritage-round-as-week-15-arrives
Unavailable: Cam Roigard, Tyrel Lomax, Caleb Delany, Brad Shields
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For those that don't want to scroll through instagram
Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, James Tucker, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Brayden Iose, TJ Perenara, Brett Cameron, Salesi Rayasi, Jordie Barrett (c), Billy Proctor, Josh Moorby, Ruben Love
RESERVES: James O'Reilly, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tevita Mafileo, Justin Sangster, Peter Lakai, Jordi Vijoen, Riley Higgins, Bailyn Sullivan
@Duluth said in Hurricanes v Highlanders:
For those that don't want to scroll through instagram
Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, James Tucker, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Brayden Iose, TJ Perenara, Brett Cameron, Salesi Rayasi, Jordie Barrett (c), Billy Proctor, Josh Moorby, Ruben Love
RESERVES: James O'Reilly, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tevita Mafileo, Justin Sangster, Peter Lakai, Jordi Vijoen, Riley Higgins, Bailyn Sullivan
Upvote for the Instagram swipe.
Great to see Aumua back.
