Highlanders 2025
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon do you mind elaborating on his shortcomings?
It’s a bit hard (outside looking in) to understand how a bloke who dominated NPC, was 21 and in a position we critically needed was overlooked. Especially with how he’s kicked on.
Obviously factors I’m probably not seeing. But interested to hear more.
The criticism was that he is too short to be a top level 8, is one dimensional, a poor trainer and doesn't get involved enough. Several of those criticisms have been disproven this year
Sav has had a crack about the Highlanders' snubbing of Semesi, with those famous maroon-and-gold tinted glasses on.
Five Highlanders questions worth pondering
Have the Highlanders gone backward in 2025? And did the Highlanders have a recruitment shocker? Some Highlanders questions that are worth pondering.
The inability to snap up 21-year-old No 8 Semisi Tupou Taeiloa, when he was right under the noses of the Highlanders decision-makers, is a shocker.
There are sure to be some red faces whenever the name Semisi Tupou Taeiloa gets a mention at the moment.
Tupou Taeiloa was one of the Southland Stags’ best in 2024, and Stags coach Matt Saunders urged the Highlanders to include him in their mix.
The strong ball-carrying No 8 is the sort of player the Highlanders need right now, but on top of that, at 21, he would have provided a long-term Nasi Manu-type option for the Highlanders.
Even a wider contract would have been enough to lock him in when the Highlanders had their chance, but instead it was the sound of crickets from Highlanders HQ.
They showed no interest in the powerhouse loose forward.
Saunders and Rugby Southland then turned their focus to Moana Pasifika to try to find Tupou Taeiloa another Super Rugby opportunity.
It was initially just a short-term training opportunity, but the Moana Pasifika decision makers quickly loved what they saw.
The Southland Stag hasn’t just remained in the Moana Pasifika setup beyond the preseason but has turned out to be one of their best players to date.
Unfortunately for those at the Highlanders, the horse - or should we say the Stag - has now bolted. The Tribune understands Moana Pasifika has locked in Tupou Taeiloa long-term.
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@reprobate said in Highlanders 2025:
We've done alright out of Saffa cricketers, should be able to rustle up a prop from there at least.
Reihana looked pretty comfortable last week and has potential. He and Jacomb look to be it locally really, unless you want to chase young Spencer or Cashmore based on pedigree - haven't really seen them play myself..
Miller I don't mind but he needs to do some serious weight training, he's having the ball ripper out of his arms regularly. He also stands too deep, which may be partially because he's physically outmatched. He's undoubtedly got some very good skills, but he looks kinda like a skinny kid playing against adults.Reihana is signed through 2026 with the Crusaders.
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@Smudge said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon do you mind elaborating on his shortcomings?
It’s a bit hard (outside looking in) to understand how a bloke who dominated NPC, was 21 and in a position we critically needed was overlooked. Especially with how he’s kicked on.
Obviously factors I’m probably not seeing. But interested to hear more.
The criticism was that he is too short to be a top level 8, is one dimensional, a poor trainer and doesn't get involved enough. Several of those criticisms have been disproven this year
Sav has had a crack about the Highlanders' snubbing of Semesi, with those famous maroon-and-gold tinted glasses on.
Five Highlanders questions worth pondering
Have the Highlanders gone backward in 2025? And did the Highlanders have a recruitment shocker? Some Highlanders questions that are worth pondering.
The inability to snap up 21-year-old No 8 Semisi Tupou Taeiloa, when he was right under the noses of the Highlanders decision-makers, is a shocker.
There are sure to be some red faces whenever the name Semisi Tupou Taeiloa gets a mention at the moment.
Tupou Taeiloa was one of the Southland Stags’ best in 2024, and Stags coach Matt Saunders urged the Highlanders to include him in their mix.
The strong ball-carrying No 8 is the sort of player the Highlanders need right now, but on top of that, at 21, he would have provided a long-term Nasi Manu-type option for the Highlanders.
Even a wider contract would have been enough to lock him in when the Highlanders had their chance, but instead it was the sound of crickets from Highlanders HQ.
They showed no interest in the powerhouse loose forward.
Saunders and Rugby Southland then turned their focus to Moana Pasifika to try to find Tupou Taeiloa another Super Rugby opportunity.
It was initially just a short-term training opportunity, but the Moana Pasifika decision makers quickly loved what they saw.
The Southland Stag hasn’t just remained in the Moana Pasifika setup beyond the preseason but has turned out to be one of their best players to date.
Unfortunately for those at the Highlanders, the horse - or should we say the Stag - has now bolted. The Tribune understands Moana Pasifika has locked in Tupou Taeiloa long-term.
Everything is clear now that we made a mistake by shelving Tupou. However, the kid had plenty of opportunities to snag a spot with the Landers. He went through the U20s, was in the HP programme and would have been well known to the org. Something went wrong with both him and the franchise.
Also cracks me up how much Southland thinks it is a them v the world when Tupou is essentially a Dunedin kid who got ignored by Otago.
The more I have pondered where in the world is the best place to find some decent back cavalry. The more I'm landing on South Africa. We even have a good scout in Tony Brown working for the national union.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@handa457 Alex Fidow was last spotted playing rugby league. Siate Tokolahis best days were done before he even left the Highlanders so won’t be near it now. Oli Jager… he went back home to Ireland so he could play test footy for them. You could safely put a line through those 3 I’d say.
Off shore will probably be an option for a couple clubs when it comes to tight head so recruitment won’t be easy. Especially when you consider how valued they are in the northern hemisphere.
Alex Fidow has been back playing club rugby in Wellington in the last three years but he's no longer a prop. He played number 8 the last two seasons for Para Plim and I think he played lock on Saturday just gone.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@handa457 Alex Fidow was last spotted playing rugby league. Siate Tokolahis best days were done before he even left the Highlanders so won’t be near it now. Oli Jager… he went back home to Ireland so he could play test footy for them. You could safely put a line through those 3 I’d say.
Off shore will probably be an option for a couple clubs when it comes to tight head so recruitment won’t be easy. Especially when you consider how valued they are in the northern hemisphere.
Alex Fidow has been back playing club rugby in Wellington in the last three years but he's no longer a prop. He played number 8 the last two seasons for Para Plim and I think he played lock on Saturday just gone.
Should of stuck it out with union by the sounds of it then…
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@handa457 Alex Fidow was last spotted playing rugby league. Siate Tokolahis best days were done before he even left the Highlanders so won’t be near it now. Oli Jager… he went back home to Ireland so he could play test footy for them. You could safely put a line through those 3 I’d say.
Off shore will probably be an option for a couple clubs when it comes to tight head so recruitment won’t be easy. Especially when you consider how valued they are in the northern hemisphere.
Alex Fidow has been back playing club rugby in Wellington in the last three years but he's no longer a prop. He played number 8 the last two seasons for Para Plim and I think he played lock on Saturday just gone.
Should of stuck it out with union by the sounds of it then…
Yeah, he's lost loads of weight, when he started out with the Lions the coach apparently made him cry because he drilled him about being 140kg. He's now sitting around just over 100kg so is a completely different player. Definitely not a prop anymore.
This is what he looked like when he came back to Welly.
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R.E Overseas signing, the indication I had it was more likely a Patchell than a Sopoaga... I am at the point now, where particularly at first five I'll take a quality operator.
Burns and Patchell would walk into this current team with the current form of our 10s, and I just want to win rugby games. We have signed a catalogue of 10s since Sopoaga, and none of them have bettered him. Josh Ioane had his moments but blotted things off the field. I'd say Patchell and Burns, had it not been for injuries at the wrong time, would easily have been 3rd and 4th on that list.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
R.E Overseas signing, the indication I had it was more likely a Patchell than a Sopoaga... I am at the point now, where particularly at first five I'll take a quality operator.
Burns and Patchell would walk into this current team with the current form of our 10s, and I just want to win rugby games. We have signed a catalogue of 10s since Sopoaga, and none of them have bettered him. Josh Ioane had his moments but blotted things off the field. I'd say Patchell and Burns, had it not been for injuries at the wrong time, would easily have been 3rd and 4th on that list.
Who ever it is, they need to be around for 2 - 3 seasons. Especially if Millar is seen as primarily a back up 10. That means the mystery player is there to hold the role until Muliaina is old enough.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
R.E Overseas signing, the indication I had it was more likely a Patchell than a Sopoaga... I am at the point now, where particularly at first five I'll take a quality operator.
Burns and Patchell would walk into this current team with the current form of our 10s, and I just want to win rugby games. We have signed a catalogue of 10s since Sopoaga, and none of them have bettered him. Josh Ioane had his moments but blotted things off the field. I'd say Patchell and Burns, had it not been for injuries at the wrong time, would easily have been 3rd and 4th on that list.
You can have Hohepa and Cashmore.
We'll add in Enari for free. -
@Smudge said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon do you mind elaborating on his shortcomings?
It’s a bit hard (outside looking in) to understand how a bloke who dominated NPC, was 21 and in a position we critically needed was overlooked. Especially with how he’s kicked on.
Obviously factors I’m probably not seeing. But interested to hear more.
The criticism was that he is too short to be a top level 8, is one dimensional, a poor trainer and doesn't get involved enough. Several of those criticisms have been disproven this year
Sav has had a crack about the Highlanders' snubbing of Semesi, with those famous maroon-and-gold tinted glasses on.
Five Highlanders questions worth pondering
Have the Highlanders gone backward in 2025? And did the Highlanders have a recruitment shocker? Some Highlanders questions that are worth pondering.
The inability to snap up 21-year-old No 8 Semisi Tupou Taeiloa, when he was right under the noses of the Highlanders decision-makers, is a shocker.
There are sure to be some red faces whenever the name Semisi Tupou Taeiloa gets a mention at the moment.
Tupou Taeiloa was one of the Southland Stags’ best in 2024, and Stags coach Matt Saunders urged the Highlanders to include him in their mix.
The strong ball-carrying No 8 is the sort of player the Highlanders need right now, but on top of that, at 21, he would have provided a long-term Nasi Manu-type option for the Highlanders.
Even a wider contract would have been enough to lock him in when the Highlanders had their chance, but instead it was the sound of crickets from Highlanders HQ.
They showed no interest in the powerhouse loose forward.
Saunders and Rugby Southland then turned their focus to Moana Pasifika to try to find Tupou Taeiloa another Super Rugby opportunity.
It was initially just a short-term training opportunity, but the Moana Pasifika decision makers quickly loved what they saw.
The Southland Stag hasn’t just remained in the Moana Pasifika setup beyond the preseason but has turned out to be one of their best players to date.
Unfortunately for those at the Highlanders, the horse - or should we say the Stag - has now bolted. The Tribune understands Moana Pasifika has locked in Tupou Taeiloa long-term.
He awas also over looked by the NZ u20s and every other NPC team at the time. Wasn’t just the Highlanders that made that judgement. He’s obviously got better but hardly the recruiting mistake of the century
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Sometimes a guy like that, who was told by everyone as a teen that he was shit hot, suddenly not being seen as shit hot can be the boot up the arse he needed.
There was also the special rugby player dispensation for a drink driving incident as well.
He went from being viral through a high school try, to then being passed over by everyone that mattered locally, plus standing in front of a judge for being an idiot.
He's not yet 22 either. Has plenty of time to get better and better.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Sometimes a guy like that, who was told by everyone as a teen that he was shit hot, suddenly not being seen as shit hot can be the boot up the arse he needed.
There was also the special rugby play dispensation for a drink driving incident as well.
He went from being viral through a high school try, to then being passed over by everyone that mattered locally, plus standing in front of a judge for being an idiot.
He's not yet 22 either. Has plenty of time to get better and better.
Completely agree and will always want to see an OBHS boy do well. A few seasons in a team like Moana might do him the world of good
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And we are judging him off his performances for MP.
If we had picked him up either instead of Naeata, or in a WTG spot. He probably wouldn't have got the opportunities he has on the North Shore.
He would have been stuck behind a battling Renton and Broughton. We wouldn't have known he was well capable of running around at this level. The move was best for him as a player.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
R.E Overseas signing, the indication I had it was more likely a Patchell than a Sopoaga... I am at the point now, where particularly at first five I'll take a quality operator.
Burns and Patchell would walk into this current team with the current form of our 10s, and I just want to win rugby games. We have signed a catalogue of 10s since Sopoaga, and none of them have bettered him. Josh Ioane had his moments but blotted things off the field. I'd say Patchell and Burns, had it not been for injuries at the wrong time, would easily have been 3rd and 4th on that list.
Who ever it is, they need to be around for 2 - 3 seasons. Especially if Millar is seen as primarily a back up 10. That means the mystery player is there to hold the role until Muliaina is old enough.
I don't think they will be planning for Muliaina... if Muliaina turns into something then awesome, but he likely won't come into his own for at least 4-5 years.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
R.E Overseas signing, the indication I had it was more likely a Patchell than a Sopoaga... I am at the point now, where particularly at first five I'll take a quality operator.
Burns and Patchell would walk into this current team with the current form of our 10s, and I just want to win rugby games. We have signed a catalogue of 10s since Sopoaga, and none of them have bettered him. Josh Ioane had his moments but blotted things off the field. I'd say Patchell and Burns, had it not been for injuries at the wrong time, would easily have been 3rd and 4th on that list.
Who ever it is, they need to be around for 2 - 3 seasons. Especially if Millar is seen as primarily a back up 10. That means the mystery player is there to hold the role until Muliaina is old enough.
I don't think they will be planning for Muliaina... if Muliaina turns into something then awesome, but he likely won't come into his own for at least 4-5 years.
They have to be planning for him to be something. With a probably two and four year approach with the kid. We don't have any choice. Sadly our long-term planning has been poor and it is what got us into this trouble in the first place.
If Millar and Robinson aren't seen as long-term options starting options that you build a team around. You bring in a mid-term guy to fill the gap. Until your local guy is ready.
There has been articles going back a couple of years where they openly talk about Mika as a long-term option.
"Jury indicated that Muliaina and Taylor (Jimmy) are being viewed as ‘tier one’ prospects but still have a few years of school ahead before the Highlanders come knocking."
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
Folau Fakatava extending his contract and staying with the Highlanders for 2026 and 2027 seasons.
That's good news. He's still an exciting prospect for me, has the potential to be a damaging runner and creator off the bench for the ABs.
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Updated injury list.
Caleb Tangitau (Groin 1-2 weeks)
Tanielu Tele’a (Hamstring 1-2 weeks)
Jona Nareki (Knee 1-2 Weeks)
Sosefo Kautai (Neck 1-2 weeks)
Nikora Broughton (Knee MCL 4-6 weeks), Finn Hurley (Quad – Season End)
Hayden Michaels (Hamstring – Season End), Ajay Faleafaga (Broken hand – Season End), James Arscott (Shoulder – TBC)
