Highlanders 2026
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:
All the talk is coming from only two of the three parties. We've heard nothing from the Chiefs, and as I said they won't let Jacomb go without a suitable replacement, which will impact another SR team, as that player will also be under contract.
I think with all this noise the Chiefs are going to be forced into action. Why would you want a player who has publicly stated his desire to leave, has signed elsewhere, and is not even first choice?
I am quite hopeful the media may go and ask some questions at Chiefs HQ to stir the pot to see what they say.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Josh has made it clear that he sees his long-term future with the Highlanders
PR chat, if he saw his long term future there he would have signed for 5 years surely
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@Yeetyaah said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
Why would you want a player who has publicly stated his desire to leave, has signed elsewhere, and is not even first choice?
Probably to play hard ball and prove a point.
You'd hope that they would actually make a decision in the best interests of their team rather than be petty.
Why invest further in Jacomb when you know you need to develop someone else? -
@Yeetyaah said in Highlanders 2026:
@reprobate holy heckas we're going around in circles. There is no one suitable. The "best interests of their team" would be to have a suitable back up to DMac and Jacomb is the closest to that.
For sure keeping him is in the best interests of the team for 2026, but it isn't in their best interests for 2027 onwards.
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@Yeetyaah said in Highlanders 2026:
@reprobate holy heckas we're going around in circles. There is no one suitable. The "best interests of their team" would be to have a suitable back up to DMac and Jacomb is the closest to that.
I think the point is that, Jacomb doesn’t want to be there - so is he the best option?
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@ploughboy I could be entirely incorrect, but the way I read this, the Highlanders and Jacomb (through his agent) have gone public in an attempt to force the Chiefs arm.
I don’t know exactly when he signed on the line for 2027, but the Highlanders and Chuefs have been negotiating for months.
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Interesting that almost all player contract negotiations are kept confidential and historically it was seen as important for players to honor contracts they signed.
All protocols and common sense seem to be lost here as some parties try to play this out in public to influence public opinion. I am not impressed.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Article quoting Jacomb's agent. Saying they are seeking an immediate release
Quote from the story
*But Jacomb’s agent, Ben Boyle from Orbit Sports Management, told The Post that he remained hopeful of negotiating a release for the No 10 to join the Highlanders from 2026 onwards.
In response to a list of emailed questions from The Post, Boyle acknowledged the Chiefs have “invested significantly in Josh’s development, and it’s understandable that they would want to retain a player of his calibre”, but noted that Jacomb was keen to lead a Super Rugby backline in 2026 to boost his All Blacks aspirations.
“Josh has made it clear that he sees his long-term future with the Highlanders, and ideally, he would like to make that move in 2026 rather than wait until 2027,” Boyle said in a statement*
Ben Boyle! My old PE Teacher.
Random fact of the day. As you were guys.
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@ARHS The flip of this is that this sort of things gets the casual fan talking a bit more - Super Rugby is in the stone age in that sense. Find me another serious professional sports league where you don't know the contract length of every single player on the roster - and further to that, a rough estimate of their salary.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@ploughboy I could be entirely incorrect, but the way I read this, the Highlanders and Jacomb (through his agent) have gone public in an attempt to force the Chiefs arm.
I don’t know exactly when he signed on the line for 2027, but the Highlanders and Chuefs have been negotiating for months.
Then why do you think that is a good thing? It's just going to mean the next time a player wants to leave a franchise they're likely going to play hardball from the start because they don't want to have it all play out in public.
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My belief is that we are more likely to see Jacomb playing for the Highlanders than the Chiefs next year.
The Chiefs will be miffed with Jacomb's agent going public about him wanting to break contract. It changes it from a well substantied rumour to a fact.
It will rumble away for another couple more weeks in the media.
Paul Cully will drive the media coverage.
The next piece will be him approaching the Chiefs. They will say Jacomb is under contract for next year and that they won't comment about contractual matters. May be something about respecting Jacomb's seek a starting opportunity from 2027. That he remains part of their plans for 2026. The rest of Cully's article will be re-hashing recent pieces.
He will then ask the Rugby Players Assn and NZR. As well as ask the Highlanders if they want him next year.
Jacomb and his manager will get called in to Chiefs HQ and it will then be up to the financial deal between the two franchises. I just can't see how it is viable to keep him, with what his representation has said.
This has been a bold move from the Landers and Jacomb's management. The backroom negotiations clearly failed and they went for the nuclear option. The relationship between the Chiefs and the Landers will be fairly shot now too.
From an ethical perspective. I'm not comfortable with franchises and management stamping their feet and spilling the beans publicly to get what they want. Contracts should be honoured. Also, what comes around goes around. We will be pissy in the future if a talented young player we have on our books does the same back to us.
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@SouthernMann agree with all of this. Our Loose forward stocks, and outside backs are stacked are prime to be raided down the road. I could see young Will Stodart, Finn Hurley or Stanley Solomon being eyed up by a few franchises at the end of next season.
The Post
