Highlanders 2025
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Fortunately we have a really good case of whether an 18-year-old 10 who is rated highly can develop well at the Landers. Mika Muliaina is exactly that player.
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The Highlanders need this, the Highlanders need that. All we really need is a really good first five and with injury luck, as this young squad gains experience, is comfortably in the top six.
If you dropped McKenzie into this Highlanders team, they’d probably be top six already.
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@reprobate said in Highlanders 2025:
@Canes4life said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
@reprobate said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
Love + Harkin + Godfrey
If you add Cameron to that mix and with Jordie coming back, it's likely Harkin and Godfrey won't see as much gametime next year as they have this year. If I were the Landers I'd be going after those two. Godfrey under the roof in Dunners could be an even better option than Jacomb based on his early season form for the Canes before getting injured due to his superior running game.
Tjay Clarke, who hasn't been seen yet, but is on the Canes bench this week, is another player the Landers should target as a wing/fullback option to build depth. He was one of the top performers in the NPC last year.
A few players to target out there atm.
If Nareki could stay fit, he, Hurley, JRK, and Tangitau + one more would be a pretty good outside back contingent.
Bailyn Sullivan is also a very good player who looks to be stuck behind a few others and being used as injury cover when he is good enough to start at the highlanders.thats the problem though isn't it, all of those guys have had decent injuries in the last 12 months
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
they’d probably be top six already
not a flex. top 6 in an 11 team comp doesn't need a winning record.
fact is from the start of 2022 the Highlanders are 18-37, and have finished above another NZ team once in those four seasons.
And it's so very hard to see how they get better. Recruiting people to a losing team based down South can't be easy. But more importantly all their players will go home on Monday, and the Highlanders won't see them again until what, November? December?
And because of their form, very few of their players get to spend the next 6 months training with the ABs, they are off to play park football with semi pros. How exactly are they supposed to develop their players? Microsoft Teams? -
@mariner4life thats the thing that worries me, a coach with a good rep looking to turn things around is the one thing that might attract the right players....but it hasnt worked this year
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@mariner4life said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
they’d probably be top six already
not a flex. top 6 in an 11 team comp doesn't need a winning record.
fact is from the start of 2022 the Highlanders are 18-37, and have finished above another NZ team once in those four seasons.
And it's so very hard to see how they get better. Recruiting people to a losing team based down South can't be easy. But more importantly all their players will go home on Monday, and the Highlanders won't see them again until what, November? December?
And because of their form, very few of their players get to spend the next 6 months training with the ABs, they are off to play park football with semi pros. How exactly are they supposed to develop their players? Microsoft Teams?I'd argue in large parts we already have the talent - they just need time. Things are cyclical. The Highlanders have been shit for back to back cycles, because our recruitment was just downright trash.
Our recruitment over the last two seasons, as a general rule has been very strong. We've brought in Tavatavanawai, Tele'a, Tangitau and JRK from outside the region which is the makings of a very good backline.
In the three years before that we brought in Gregory, Paea, Dawai and Koroi.
In the pack, in de Groot and Holland, you've got two All Blacks, and I think in time Haig and/or Howden develop to that level too. By retaining players, we'll naturally get better.
Have a look at the Chiefs side which went winless in SR Aotearoa.
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JRK and Tangitau both have resigned , both till at least 2027 but one of them till 28 I believe.
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@CtownCowboy said in Highlanders 2025:
JRK and Tangitau both have resigned , both till at least 2027 but one of them till 28 I believe.
i hope so, those two plus Big Jim and Holland has to be promising enough to attract new guys
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
Damnit I was hoping it would be the hurricanes 15th choice utility back.
Calls us the SPCA. We love a stray
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
Damnit I was hoping it would be the hurricanes 15th choice utility back.
Calls us the SPCA. We love a stray
Nothing like picking up a world class player that should be playing international level from the canes 3rd XV.
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@CtownCowboy said in Highlanders 2025:
JRK and Tangitau both have resigned , both till at least 2027 but one of them till 28 I believe.
If you nail Jacomb and get this right...
We might need to nickname you Santa. Don't come often. But always deliver the goods.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@CtownCowboy said in Highlanders 2025:
JRK and Tangitau both have resigned , both till at least 2027 but one of them till 28 I believe.
If you nail Jacomb and get this right...
We might need to nickname you Santa. Don't come often. But always deliver the goods.
Good on him for always sharing sauce and being very specific about it.
He better bring some good news to the Chiefs at some point....
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Caleb Tangitau not returning to Auckland!
Highlanders look to the Future with Long-Term Re-Signing of Caleb Tangitau and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership
The Highlanders are thrilled to announce that explosive outside backs Caleb Tangitau and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens have re-signed with the club through to the end of the 2028 Super Rugby Pacific season.
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not only staying in dunedin next year...through till 2028! thats a big extension
thats hugely reassuring, not just the quality of the players we're keeping, theyre happy to commit long term, not just one season extension, all four that have extended have to be pushing for the AB's ad feel Dunedin can get them there
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@SouthernMann joins Roigard to the Chiefs in the SF transfer rumour Hall of Fame.
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RIP George 33
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
I think this also dispels the rumours that it is a toxic camp. Four very good players all re-signing, who could easily have left if this was the case.
i hope so, or at very least maybe if there was tension, its has been sorted....or the culprit isn;t coming back?
