Highlanders 2021 coaching staff

[Bones]

@mariner4life

[Nepia]

@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

mauger works on defense

:astonished_face:

[Duluth]

@kiwi_expat said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

Mauger's problem is said to be man-management and selection related, sources have indicated there is increasing unrest among the Highlanders players with regards to Mauger's contradictory methods, he is alleged to say one thing one week then change his mind. Players are frustrated to find themselves on the outer after being selected one week then suddenly dropped again the next.

Do you think the last game might've changed attitudes towards Mauger?

[Kiwiwomble]

@Duluth I think I’m coming around to idea let this team, minus hammer, keep building unless someone proven like Joseph wants to come back

[Frank]

Ben Smith in as the humility coach.

[kiwi_expat]

@Duluth His selections are finally becoming consistent. For the most part Mauger has his best XV sorted and is sticking with a core group of players, which is a good sign. I'm still hesitant about his coaching as the improvements this year can be more attributed to Brown, rather than Mauger himself.

What we know is that Tony Brown has been in charge of the game-planning/strategy this year, not Mauger. This is the most significant area in which the Highlanders have stepped up this year. They've been playing smarter rugby.

The strategy the Highlanders implemented this year was much the same as what Brown used with Japan at the rugby world cup.

[mariner4life]

@kiwi_expat said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

@Duluth His selections are finally becoming consistent. For the most part Mauger has his best XV sorted and is sticking with a core group of players, which is a good sign. I'm still hesitant about his coaching as the improvements this year can be more attributed to Brown, rather than Mauger himself.

What we know is that Tony Brown has been in charge of the game-planning/strategy this year, not Mauger. This is the most significant area in which the Highlanders have stepped up this year. They've been playing smarter rugby.

The strategy the Highlanders implemented this year was much the same as what Brown used with Japan at the rugby world cup.

Tony, if you want the job, we're not really the ones to be campaigning...

[Snowy]

@Duluth said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

Do you think the last game might've changed attitudes towards Mauger?

I suspect that the inexcusable omission of Walden throughout has permanently tainted perceptions of the head coach.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Snowy all jokes aside, it is really baffling considering sio has become a bit of a card magnet and before collins moved our midfield was really struggling

[Snowy]

@Kiwiwomble It was tongue in cheek, but I agree with you. Collins to centre does seem to have been a bit of an inspired choice though. A full back moving to centre...brave stuff around here.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Snowy i got it it keeps giving, funny...and also quite relevant rugby chat

[Snowy]

A lot more people for Collins to chat to when in the backline as well. Must be the key to his success there.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Snowy said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

@Kiwiwomble It was tongue in cheek, but I agree with you. Collins to centre does seem to have been a bit of an inspired choice though. A full back moving to centre...brave stuff around here.

I always thought of him as a midfielder just because that's where he started with otago when Bender was at 15, it was reported when he moved to the blues it was because he wanted game time at his preferred position of 15...which surprised me...and now ive seen it mentioned he's relishing his preferred position in the midfield :man_shrugging_light_skin_tone:

[Bones]

@Kiwiwomble actually come to think of it, I think I was calling him an AB in waiting waaaay back then, he was a gun for a young fella...do I recall right he had blondish/curly hair?

[Kiwiwomble]

@Bones ...not sure even i went that far...although i honestly think he'd have a much better rep if he'd just stuck to the midfield

I thought he always had pretty short hair but i did see this, this would have to be debut season

[Duluth]

@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

I always thought of him as a midfielder just because that's where he started with otago when Bender was at 15, it was reported when he moved to the blues it was because he wanted game time at his preferred position of 15...which surprised me...and now ive seen it mentioned he's relishing his preferred position in the midfield :man_shrugging_light_skin_tone:

He was talked up as a midfielder when he arrived at the Blues. His best game for the Blues was in the preseason before he played a full match. He was playing at 12 and scored or set up 3 tries in 40mins

He played that entire preseason in the midfield and then was selected at fullback when the real games started.
He was terrible at fullback.

[Bones]

@Kiwiwomble I was pretty surprised when he showed up playing average rugby at fullback at the blues a few years later.

[Duluth]

@Bones said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

he showed up playing average rugby at fullback at the blues a few years later.

He never reached those lofty heights

[Bones]

@Duluth said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

@Bones said in Highlanders 2021 coaching staff:

he showed up playing average rugby at fullback at the blues a few years later.

He never reached those lofty heights

It was the blues. Exceeding expectations was frowned upon.

[Nepia]

I remembered him as a young on the rise, well thought of centre back in the day, but I probably only noticed him due to his name.