Highlanders 2025
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
Is it confirmed that Renton is out for the whole season?
First time I’ve heard that. Latest report was that he was 1/2 weeks away.
Heard he can hardly walk and it’s a lot more serious than initially thought. Best to wait for confirmation but don’t think it will be good
travelling with the team apparently so your source might have been looking at someone else?
I've also heard he has been really struggling with his body, but he has travelled - both can be true. May be a case of he has decided to just get on with the job.
come on being able to push through is very different to "hardly walk" and his season is over
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
Have they named the extra players in the touring party?
No, but it will be Wingham, Taylor, Arscott + One other, which I don't imagine is Renton, so would assume Michaels.
Fakatava has been week to week since the Canes game, but if fit will likely fly over to Perth with EDG... JRK a smokey for that one, but more likely for the game after - Haig also set to be back for the Drua. Renton I'm assuming will also be back for the Force game, but maybe they just want his leadership.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
Is it confirmed that Renton is out for the whole season?
First time I’ve heard that. Latest report was that he was 1/2 weeks away.
Heard he can hardly walk and it’s a lot more serious than initially thought. Best to wait for confirmation but don’t think it will be good
travelling with the team apparently so your source might have been looking at someone else?
I've also heard he has been really struggling with his body, but he has travelled - both can be true. May be a case of he has decided to just get on with the job.
come on being able to push through is very different to "hardly walk"
What I heard, was he had a few niggles the week he got dropped... a few niggles then turned into him being in a moonboot at the start of the week of the Canes game. Having all sorts of issues, it isn't just the groin - as I say, he may just have travelled due to the leadership be can bring, because there are a few things going wrong.
I've no source on this, but you'd have to think de Groot has been dropped, because would seem bizarre to rest him in the circumstances.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
I've no source on this, but you'd have to think de Groot has been dropped, because would seem bizarre to rest him in the circumstances.
Not true in the slightest. Watch the latest Jamie Joseph interview regarding team naming, he explains it in that. He’s very careful with what he says but it’s fairly clear it’s load management and it seems it’s something he isn’t on board with but has to oblige.
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@Landers92 Maybe it really is just that simple, but feels bizarre. Was pointed out on 1 News, he has started back to back games, but prior to that he had a bye and a bench appearance.
I've always felt EDG benefitted from getting games under his belt, and after our scrum struggles last week, I would have thought they'd want him this week.
If they were going to rest him for one of these two games, would it not have made more sense to do it next week, avoiding a trip to Perth?
ADDED: This quote from a 1 News article reads funny to me: “He’s got a massive year ahead of him, being our only All Black. I’m mindful of that and mindful that we’ve only played five games of footy. He gets a rest this week and then hopefully he comes into consideration the following week.”
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
Is it confirmed that Renton is out for the whole season?
First time I’ve heard that. Latest report was that he was 1/2 weeks away.
Heard he can hardly walk and it’s a lot more serious than initially thought. Best to wait for confirmation but don’t think it will be good
travelling with the team apparently so your source might have been looking at someone else?
Yeah he has definitely travelled with the team. Guessing he’s a good chance to play next week, they wouldn’t waste a spot on someone who can’t play.
Some interesting rumours being thrown around by a couple people here…Was from someone who is usually pretty reliable with this stuff. I’ll pass on the displeasure to them
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
Joseph did mention that the first two scrum penalties were against de Groot. He was penalised three times and got a YC.
Tele'a has been dropped. "Tanielu made too many mistakes".
He's been playing with a broken middle finger since the MP preseason game.
Might explain some handling issues. -
@KiwiInLondon displeasure? Lol. Just stating that there’s been some interesting rumors and conflicting reports.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon displeasure? Lol. Just stating that there’s been some interesting rumors and conflicting reports.
I’m taking the piss
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Beyond frustrating to lose that, but I’d argue that game has to give more positive heed for the long-term future than any this season.
That backline (when you consider who is injured) is plenty good enough to win a Super Rugby title. We’re scoring some great tries…
The loose forwards remain a work in progress, we’ll be looking for a big number eight, but thought Lasaqa and Withy were both outstanding. Best we’ve seen yet from Howden too. Could do with another lock, and some props, but this team will continue to get better.
Big if, but if we keep hold of our current backs, sprinkle in Pledger & Tengbald + a few others, and this is a serious unit.
For the rest of this season, I think we’re Scrooge mcduck realistically. Lost within 7 to the three Aussie sides, who probably all make the top six. You’re still alive on paper if you take down the Force and Drua, but this forward pack isn’t good enough I don’t think to hang over those last rounds… that said, somewhere along the line, with that backline, we’ll upset the applecart.
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We just need to keep the playing group together. It'd be a shame to see Tangitau spend two years in Dunedin, Telea go overseas and him switch straight back into the Blues 14 jersey.
There is a core of a really good team there. They are just very young.
In comparison most weeks the other NZ teams can rely on All Blacks and other former internationals to provide direction. We, at the moment have guys 24 and under, then look at the long-termers who are the likes of DLB and Gilbert. Not big stage players.
The ship will turnaround. Hopefully everything is putting place before Joseph decides he is refreshed and ready for international rugby again.
Hoping there are a few guys coming through that will hopefully fill some gaps. Then we need to look at opportunities to pick up Super ready guys stuck behind All Blacks like Tangitau.
Our average loss has been by four points. The reds one was against a side with 12 players with international experience. The Brumbies with about seven or eight. The same with the Tahs. Hurricanes with seven, I think too.
It is a really hard competition.
I think back to the teams where we had the likes of Gregory, Koroi, Paea, Dawai, Makalio. Where our tactics were throw it to Nareki, Gilbert and TUJ and hope. Gilbert has gone from a key player to someone who is more of a steady hand, and realistically a bit of a jack of all trades.
We do have a bit of an issue with squad balance where we panic signed some young local lads and they aren't quite meeting the mark.
While a significant number of our squad are learning their craft at this level. Instead of what would have been the case a decade ago, on a cold afternoon in the NPC. James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa have played more than 200 tests for the Wallabies combined. That's a good set of Super Rugby book ends.
The cogs are moving in the right direction. We desperately need continuity. As well as filling the gaps from the bottom up in the right places.
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@Bones honestly just based on size I expect him to make the All Blacks. Here's a stat for you, since 2008 only four All Black debutant props and one veteran have weighed less than 120kg. Kane Hames, Aidan Ross, Aled De Malmanche and Tim Perry all had very short lived test careers.
Wyatt Crockett is the only prop in the last two decades to have a long term test career and be under 120kg. So when looking at potential tighthead all black front rowers given Tosi isn't getting game time at the Canes Ma'au is the only real option - unless one of Tungafasi or Williams gets shifted to tighthead and Ollie Norris gets picked up.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
We just need to keep the playing group together. It'd be a shame to see Tangitau spend two years in Dunedin, Telea go overseas and him switch straight back into the Blues 14 jersey.
There is a core of a really good team there. They are just very young.
In comparison most weeks the other NZ teams can rely on All Blacks and other former internationals to provide direction. We, at the moment have guys 24 and under, then look at the long-termers who are the likes of DLB and Gilbert. Not big stage players.
The ship will turnaround. Hopefully everything is putting place before Joseph decides he is refreshed and ready for international rugby again.
Hoping there are a few guys coming through that will hopefully fill some gaps. Then we need to look at opportunities to pick up Super ready guys stuck behind All Blacks like Tangitau.
Malachi Wrampling-Alec should be the next type of Howden/Tangitau target. very promising 8 from last years NZ 20s and Waikato, he's contracted with the Chiefs however long term with Sititi, Jacobson & Parker up there his chances might be limited
