Highlanders 2025
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@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders 2025:
One of the Highlanders' problems over the past couple of years is they seem to be relying on young guys making the grade fairly quickly and slotting into the top 23. That's simply not realistic. Most youngsters take a good three or four years to get up scratch, and more still never successfully make the step up at all.
Haig is the only one in recent years that has made the grade and he's from the 2022 U20s in-take. Otherwise, you've got all of the below since 2020...
Super Rugby starter
George Bell (gone to Crusaders)
Fabian Holland (from Crusaders)
Saula Ma'uSuper Rugby standard
Sean WithyNearing Super Rugby standard but still might never make it
Nathan Hastie
Fin Hurley
Cam MillarCompletely unproven
Hayden Michaels
Jake te HiwiNever stepped up
James Arscott
Harrison Boyle
Jake Russ (NZ 2020 WTS)Future prospects
A-One Lolofie
Dylan Pledger
Josh WhaangaThe hit-rate isn't very high - which is the same for all the other Super Rugby sides, they just tend to have a bigger number of players coming through at any one time so it's not as big of an issue.
External recruitment will be key - it's what earned the Highlanders their title in 2015 and it's the only thing that will again make them a threat in the future.
That’s what the Highlanders have done though - that’s the point. We could do with a number eight, and another lock is on the way, but other than we actually need to stick with this group of players. We can’t keep turning over 12 players ever year.
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so...the loss on the weekend feels even worse for me, let me explain
was busy on sat and so had to watch on delay i flicked it on stan and if the game is still playing you have to do some weird thing where to goes to the Live point and then you re wind, hoping to do it quickly and not see the score....i failed and saw just after halftime we were winning 36-14.........que nearly two hours wondering when we would kick off....even very late int he game i was convinced id read the time and their score wrong and we were going to score a few very late tries......no idea what i saw.....that was a painful watch made worse by hope
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
We could do with a number eight
Vaiolini Ekuasi might have been available when the Rebels folded. But he went to the Force.
The question you have to ask yourself, is would any of the other NZ sides want Ekuasi?
We have a few of these players playing currently. Have Howden and Lasaqa been good? I think they've been reasonable, but on current form would they start (or even make the bench) for other NZ sides? I don't think so.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
so...the loss on the weekend feels even worse for me, let me explain
was busy on sat and so had to watch on delay i flicked it on stan and if the game is still playing you have to do some weird thing where to goes to the Live point and then you re wind, hoping to do it quickly and not see the score....i failed and saw just after halftime we were winning 36-14.........que nearly two hours wondering when we would kick off....even very late int he game i was convinced id read the time and their score wrong and we were going to score a few very late tries......no idea what i saw.....that was a painful watch made worse by hope
really for me if the game is still playing I can just move across to the "More" tag press it and it gives me a start option which takes me to the start of the broadcast.
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@Kiwiwomble two things.
I get what you mean, if you go to the first option at the top of the screen it takes you immediately to "watch live". But pretty sure if you click "Rugby", "Live and Upcoming" then select the game you get the option to "Watch from Start" (in addition to the "watch live" option). You then have to fast forward about half an hour. (I think)
Reckon you saw the time at 36:14. I've done that.
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@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
so...the loss on the weekend feels even worse for me, let me explain
was busy on sat and so had to watch on delay i flicked it on stan and if the game is still playing you have to do some weird thing where to goes to the Live point and then you re wind, hoping to do it quickly and not see the score....i failed and saw just after halftime we were winning 36-14.........que nearly two hours wondering when we would kick off....even very late int he game i was convinced id read the time and their score wrong and we were going to score a few very late tries......no idea what i saw.....that was a painful watch made worse by hope
really for me if the game is still playing I can just move across to the "More" tag press it and it gives me a start option which takes me to the start of the broadcast.
with my app even if it select from start it only goes to maybe 45mins behind live
@booboo said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble two things.
Reckon you saw the time at 36:14. I've done that.
you're probably right, i must have seen something else though as i saw the time too and it was early in the second half...either way my own stupid brain set me up for some pain
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
with my app even if it select from start it only goes to maybe 45mins behind live
Ok that's weird, mine I can go to the start even during a live game.
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@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders 2025:
Fabian Holland (from Crusaders)
I don’t think he was ever part of their system was he? Moved to NZ in 2019, went to Christchurch boys high, made NZ schools then the Highlanders got him from there. Since then he has always come through the grades with Otago and the Highlanders to my knowledge.
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@Landers92 i hope so...as usual i got my hopes up a little
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby I have watched multiple interviews where Roger Clark has been on record saying the bigger picture goal was 2026. That was a couple years ago now. I agree with you, 2027 is definitely much more realistic.
Think from memory it was challenging properly by 2026. They'll probably be a fraction disappointed with where we are this year, but they've got to hold their nerve. Trying to rebuild again won't work.
This mob might not win a Super Rugby title, but I don't think anyone expected we'd make the Top 6 in 2014, and nobody expected us to win the title the following year. Injuries play a huge part, and we probably lost a few this year who we simply could not afford to lose.
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@MacDazzler said in Highlanders 2025:
@Mr-Fish I don't recall Harrison Boyle or Jake Russ playing much NPC if at all.
That's partially my point - some guys who feature in the U20s don't even make a splash in provincial rugby, let alone Super.
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@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
with my app even if it select from start it only goes to maybe 45mins behind live
Ok that's weird, mine I can go to the start even during a live game.
Same, but my coverage cuts out when the live coverage finishes and I have to start again, fast forwarding to where I was.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon you keep talking about ‘underlying issues’ like you know something the rest of us don’t, yet you haven’t told us what they are.
If you are so adamant that’s what it is then elaborate for us, we are all happy to hear it, it’s what this forum is for after all. Don’t just say ‘the failure to do the basics right’ or ‘constant dropped balls’, anyone can say that for any team. Genuinely curious at this point at what you’re referring to.
So you don’t think the stunted improvement of players and the demonstrable proof we get every weekend that these players just don’t know how to execute a game plan or use their two brain cells isn’t proof that there is a serious issue with the structures of player development and coaching in the Otago region?
The attitude is shit. The leadership is shit. The execution is shit. That isn’t just inexperience. The fact that maybe 3-4 of our players start for another kiwi franchise and the rest would do well to make the bench isn’t an indication that the Highlanders are slipping further and further behind? Despite years of investing in two decent groups of u20s players?
It doesn’t concern you that if we keep going like we’re going and the rest of the teams continue to improve. We’re a bottom two team?
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@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
with my app even if it select from start it only goes to maybe 45mins behind live
Ok that's weird, mine I can go to the start even during a live game.
Same, but my coverage cuts out when the live coverage finishes and I have to start again, fast forwarding to where I was.
Ah shit mine doesn't do that either.
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@cgrant said in Highlanders 2025:
Oscar Koller could be a good recruit. He has a massive left boot and does the basics well. He is not a running 1st Five but is that what the Landers need ?
Might as well stick with Cam Millar in that case (which I don't think is a bad idea regardless).
Better off trying to bring down a Kaleb Trask or Stephen Perofeta.
