The Silver Fern

Word on the street, and a fairly reliable word at that, is that the environment in the Highlanders squad is getting increasingly toxic. A large part of the squad are getting fed up with not getting coached properly and being asked to execute a game plan that they know doesn't work. It's resulted in a complete loss of belief in the camp.

There is also apparently a big issue with some players about something that went down between De Groot and Renton that ended up in Renton getting the captaincy. Not many players respect him because of it and the leadership group is fractured. The assistant coaches are apparently just a bunch of yes men and don't add anything of significance and the only real coaching they've received is when Tony Brown has dropped in for a few sessions.

Now you can go 'oh this is him being negative again etc etc' but this is pretty bloody reliable and things seem to be falling apart.

@Tim said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:

A few missing players tonight: Vaa'i, Jacobson, Tupaea etc

Tupaea will play himself out of AB's contention if he puts 1-2 more performance in like this

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:

@KiwiInLondon said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:

Kirifi seems like a natural leader. Good mix of passion and aggression but seems to have a level head and can communicate well with the refs.

He’s come along way in the last few years. Instrumental in the Lions winning two NPC titles in three years.

Only captain in nz super rugby that is displaying any real leadership quality

Kirifi seems like a natural leader. Good mix of passion and aggression but seems to have a level head and can communicate well with the refs.

@Bones said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:

Jordan wouldn't have got yellow carded for cynical play.

Jordan would have intercepted it and passed it to Fihaki who would run 90m to score under the posts

Lakai and Proctor are demanding an AB's jersey after the past few weeks

Love is trying to be way to cute with his kicks. Just run the fucking backline properly

That goose step by Lose 10m away from the defensive line sure was deceiving

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:

Maybe start going for the tries Canes. Penalties aren’t going to cut it.

If I were the Chiefs I’d bring Sititi on early.

One big difference is our physicality in the forwards. IWL is a big fat sausage and offers nothing and Iose is way too small for a 6.

Didn't realise Lose was so small. Only 108kgs and 188cm for a blindside is definitely on the small side. Is Delaney a better option or no?

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:

NZ Rugby is paying Fakatava's contract. He is a highly very competent halfback. Who has played good rugby.

We aren't losing out on money re-signing Folau.

My mistake. But I think my general points stands. I'm just not confident the dynamic between the three halfbacks will bring out the best in the two young ones.

@Grooter said in Highlanders 2025:

@KiwiInLondon Fakatava is the 3rd most experienced highlander in the team, he's sticking around great news in my book. Arscott is shown the door meh that's pro sport. And hypothetically Fakatava is in the top 4 halfbacks for Razor? If he was to find himself back in Black but was at Moana that would be an awful look for Jamie wouldn't it. Don't fret, Pledgers Development in the side will be similar to that of when Cortez Ratima was behind Weber etc. at the chiefs

@Grooter said in Highlanders 2025:

@KiwiInLondon Fakatava is the 3rd most experienced highlander in the team, he's sticking around great news in my book. Arscott is shown the door meh that's pro sport. And hypothetically Fakatava is in the top 4 halfbacks for Razor? If he was to find himself back in Black but was at Moana that would be an awful look for Jamie wouldn't it. Don't fret, Pledgers Development in the side will be similar to that of when Cortez Ratima was behind Weber etc. at the chiefs

I see what you mean and I understand the initial positive reaction. But my argument is that we don't need him. We NEED some props. We NEED 10 and 13. Surely that contract money is better used else where in a position where we have literally no depth.

Plus, Hastie and Pledger are both at Otago NPC with Millar. It just makes so much more sense.

@nostrildamus said in Blues v Force:

@cgrant said in Blues v Force:

The Blues are hard to watch. Too many dumb decisions. Thank god, they have a number of players who have stepped up : Papali'i, BB, Sotutu, Ioane and Lam when he came on. Funaki did well too.

It's not like they lack experienced leadership. Baffling.

Its just the leadership that has constantly shat the bed for the past 5-6 years

@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:

@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:

@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2025:

@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:

Pledger

could he be a potential (mythical) future 9/10 option?

New Zealand U20s star halfback rated better than Ben Smith coming out of high school

Dylan Pledger made such an impression at King’s High School in Dunedin that Sports Director Glenn Dickson declared Pledger, “the most impressive” athlete.

Aren't we going to be putting ourselves in a tricky position with Fakatava and Pledger? I mean Pledger looks obviously better than Fakatava in the medium term (i.e. after one super rugby season). Fakatava has stayed after chats with the ABs that he could be in the picture.

Are are we going to keep Fakatava, Pledger, and Hastie in the same team when really all three could be starting/Hastie getting significant minutes off the bench?

I would have thought that the trio of Pledger, Hastie, and Arscott is a better fit than keeping Fakatava? Would that not free up contract space to sign another player in a position we need more depth at?

How is that a tricky situation? Pledger is 19, by the time Fakatavas contract is up Pledger will be 21, maybe just turned 22 at most.

I have no idea how you can look at something the way you just have after we finally have some depth and promising talent coming through at the position Jesus Christ man.

Ffs stop overreacting. I'm not being negative. Hastie has proven to be a competent 9 and has an obvious upside. Pledger looks unbelievably good and we're lucky to have him down south. Half back is a young mans game. Do you not see my point? The one space we have up and coming talent we sign what I would assume is a max super rugby contract? If we're building for the long term and this team is expected to hit its straps in 2-3 years, one of the few players we're offering the big money to will be off contract by then? The Highlanders could do that? Or, perhaps, Hastie would have 2-3 times as many minutes by then and Pledger gets plenty of opportunities off the bench. You tell me which makes more sense?

One of the few positions where you can get away with being young and inexperienced, we sign a player that will leave in two years? At the same time we expect the young pack and backline to mature! That is fucking stupid.

@Chris said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:

Milton Haig is a strange choice as HC,He was Georgian coach for a while,I thought there would be better candidates for such an important development team.

Yeh was saying above, this coaching team is unusually shit.

@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2025:

@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:

Pledger

could he be a potential (mythical) future 9/10 option?

New Zealand U20s star halfback rated better than Ben Smith coming out of high school

Dylan Pledger made such an impression at King’s High School in Dunedin that Sports Director Glenn Dickson declared Pledger, “the most impressive” athlete.

Aren't we going to be putting ourselves in a tricky position with Fakatava and Pledger? I mean Pledger looks obviously better than Fakatava in the medium term (i.e. after one super rugby season). Fakatava has stayed after chats with the ABs that he could be in the picture.

Are are we going to keep Fakatava, Pledger, and Hastie in the same team when really all three could be starting/Hastie getting significant minutes off the bench?

I would have thought that the trio of Pledger, Hastie, and Arscott is a better fit than keeping Fakatava? Would that not free up contract space to sign another player in a position we need more depth at?

You just have to laugh at this point. I'd be genuinely surprised if half of the NZ rugby players can read

@Tim said in Blues v Force:

@KiwiInLondon Probably thought he was going over the deadball line.

Spatial awareness?

Why didn't he just catch it?

@Frank said in Blues v Force:

@KiwiInLondon said in Blues v Force:

@Tim said in Blues v Force:

I wonder if Leon MacDonald has pointed out a few defensive weaknesses in the Blues.

The coaching rejects of Mcdonald and Donnelly are showing they can produce results with a mismatched and scrappy squad... Maybe the Highlanders and Blues players were just stupid.

Or Vern Cotter ain't that great.

Really!?!?! Wait Scotland were world beaters with him as their coach?!

@Tim said in Blues v Force:

I wonder if Leon MacDonald has pointed out a few defensive weaknesses in the Blues.

The coaching rejects of Mcdonald and Donnelly are showing they can produce results with a mismatched and scrappy squad... Maybe the Highlanders and Blues players were just stupid.