Highlanders 2025
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Paul Cullys post on Twitter a few days ago in regards to props that I thought was worth throwing in here. A couple names thrown out there to keep an eye on.
Weekly NPC prop update as Highlanders look for Super recruits.
1 Kershawl Sykes-Martin ( Ta$man). Rugged defender, now playing tighthead. Assuming he hasn’t already been signed by the Crusaders.
2 Benet Kumeroa (Bay of Plenty): Great carrier, explosive, high work rate.@Landers92 Kumeroa is an interesting option. He has really stood out with his ball-carrying against Waikato and Counties, showing very swift feet. I also really liked how, as soon as more defenders started committing to tackling him, he started giving short passes to his outsides, leading to clean breaks.
The only real but considerable question is his scrummaging. He really struggled in the scrum playing for the Māori against the Japan XV. And while seasoned Super Rugby players like Renata and Rakete-Stones also had their troubles, Kumeroa’s form in the scrum stood out as needing work. His back was always bent rather than being straight and low, and he bound very high, leaving the Japanese loosehead with a lot of body to attack.
If there are issues with the NPC as a comp, it’s probably that obvious flaws like these will rarely be exposed. His opponents in the first two weeks – Norris and Latu – struggled throughout Super Rugby in the scrum, Norris even being dropped for a long time after being worked over by Toomaga-Allen against the Reds. These are not the guys who are going to show whether Kumeroa can hack it at the next level. I’d say there are probably only four looseheads who scrummage at a level representative of the best at Super level: Xavier Numia, Jordan Lay, Tevita Mafileo and Jared Proffit (maybe Hetet as well, but he plays for BOP so can’t serve as a test). It'll be interesting to see how Kumeroa goes against the North Harbour scrum this weekend. I presume it’ll say a lot about his chances of getting a Super contract.
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@Landers92 Kumeroa is an interesting option. He has really stood out with his ball-carrying against Waikato and Counties, showing very swift feet. I also really liked how, as soon as more defenders started committing to tackling him, he started giving short passes to his outsides, leading to clean breaks.
The only real but considerable question is his scrummaging. He really struggled in the scrum playing for the Māori against the Japan XV. And while seasoned Super Rugby players like Renata and Rakete-Stones also had their troubles, Kumeroa’s form in the scrum stood out as needing work. His back was always bent rather than being straight and low, and he bound very high, leaving the Japanese loosehead with a lot of body to attack.
If there are issues with the NPC as a comp, it’s probably that obvious flaws like these will rarely be exposed. His opponents in the first two weeks – Norris and Latu – struggled throughout Super Rugby in the scrum, Norris even being dropped for a long time after being worked over by Toomaga-Allen against the Reds. These are not the guys who are going to show whether Kumeroa can hack it at the next level. I’d say there are probably only four looseheads who scrummage at a level representative of the best at Super level: Xavier Numia, Jordan Lay, Tevita Mafileo and Jared Proffit (maybe Hetet as well, but he plays for BOP so can’t serve as a test). It'll be interesting to see how Kumeroa goes against the North Harbour scrum this weekend. I presume it’ll say a lot about his chances of getting a Super contract.
@Mauss interesting insight mate good stuff. The other loose head you’re forgetting is George Bower. It will be interesting to see those 2 go head to head, might learn a thing or 2.
I see he was in the Hurricanes system back in 2023 but didn’t get a cap so a super environment wouldn’t be too foreign to him. Jamie Joseph has a way of getting into these fringe players who are Māori All Blacks ears so hopefully he’s the next.
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@Mauss interesting insight mate good stuff. The other loose head you’re forgetting is George Bower. It will be interesting to see those 2 go head to head, might learn a thing or 2.
I see he was in the Hurricanes system back in 2023 but didn’t get a cap so a super environment wouldn’t be too foreign to him. Jamie Joseph has a way of getting into these fringe players who are Māori All Blacks ears so hopefully he’s the next.
@Landers92 Yeah, fair call with regards to Bower.
I do hope Kumeroa gets a shot at the next level, his carrying offers a real edge to his game. It might be that he's more suited to the loosehead-side - his binding and positioning in the scrum might be more effective there - but BOP are well set on that side with Ross, Hetet, Bartlett and Seeling while being much less settled on the tighthead-side. So it makes sense that he's starting there at NPC-level.
I think he could be a dynamic option off the bench at the next level, coming on for someone like de Groot at the 60 minute mark.
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Can't say Soane Vikena has done anything in the NPC thus far that makes me think he is any better than what we already have... he has been poor for Auckland from what I have seen.
Positives have been the Otago and Southland based Highlanders, as well as Fakatava.
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Neither Vikena or Tangitau have shown the capability I was hoping to see during the initial NPC rounds. Jack Taylor has probably been the best of the three hookers we have signed for next year. Withy, Haig, Stodart, Holland, Ma'u, Fakatava, Umaga-Jensen, Hurley, JRK and Tavatavanawai have been great. Really enjoying how some of the lads are dominating and standing out.
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Neither Vikena or Tangitau have shown the capability I was hoping to see during the initial NPC rounds. Jack Taylor has probably been the best of the three hookers we have signed for next year. Withy, Haig, Stodart, Holland, Ma'u, Fakatava, Umaga-Jensen, Hurley, JRK and Tavatavanawai have been great. Really enjoying how some of the lads are dominating and standing out.
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@SouthernMann Tangitau has been injured I think?
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann Tangitau has been injured I think?
He played against Wellington and was horrible under the high ball and defensively. Awesome on attack but obviously has plenty to work on to become an all round player.
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Semisi Tupou the Stags 8 is a very strong ball carrier although his body frame reminds me more of a hooker
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Semisi Tupou the Stags 8 is a very strong ball carrier although his body frame reminds me more of a hooker
@Grooter said in Highlanders 2025:
Semisi Tupou the Stags 8 is a very strong ball carrier although his body frame reminds me more of a hooker
Fantastic ball careier. Might be seen as a bit one dimensional. He was an OBHS lad, who ended up down in Southland due to a lack of opportunities at Otago. While Stodart, a Southland lad, via school in Chch is with Otago. I'm sure Tupou will get some good pre-season footy with the Landers. With both Broughton and Stodart being young, there might not be a lot of room at the boot of the scrum.
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Semisi Tupou the Stags 8 is a very strong ball carrier although his body frame reminds me more of a hooker
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Highlanders supposedly chasing a big tighthead prop out of the Brumbies... assuming it is Sefo Kautai.
@frugby Nah, Sefo Kautai has resigned with the Brumbies for 2025. Fred Kaihea is a prop that hasn't got a contract yet. He is New Zealand born too. Off that supposed news, could be him?
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@frugby Nah, Sefo Kautai has resigned with the Brumbies for 2025. Fred Kaihea is a prop that hasn't got a contract yet. He is New Zealand born too. Off that supposed news, could be him?
@NateHill74 I'd be surprised. I've heard tighthead.
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Solomone Tukuafu has signed to go to France, so he won't be coming back. If we miss out on the prop from the Brumbies, we are going to be scraping the barrel for a tighthead.
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I don't have high hopes in terms of landing an experienced tighthead. We are obviously trying to look under every rock, and most are coming up empty. I think we will probably end up with a player that makes most of us go WTF. A sort of Freddie Burns type player, but at tighthead. On the plus side, a lot of our guys have been having very good NPCs; Fakatava, JRK (needs to go back to FB though), Tavatavanawai, Withy, Holland (when not injured), Haig, Ma'u. Good to see Renton back as well, will be a cracking battle between him, Broughton and Stodart for the 8 jersey. The development of Arscott and Hastie is a concern though.
