Highlanders 2019 Discussion
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In further good news for the Highlanders, following the recent re-signing of halfback Aaron Smith, All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman has also re-signed with his Super Rugby club and New Zealand Rugby through to 2022. 29-year-old Coltman, Highlanders #199, has made 92 Highlanders appearances since his debut in 2013 for the southernmost club. After serving his apprenticeship as the back-up hooker in 2013 to All Black Andrew Hore, he eventually started 14 times in 2014 before being an important part of the Super Rugby championship-winning team in 2015. He debuted for the All Blacks in 2016 and has played four Tests. Originally from New Plymouth, Coltman played with fellow All Black Beauden Barrett at Francis Douglas Memorial College, before transferring to Otago. He made his debut for them in 2010 and played for New Zealand Under 20 at the Junior World Cup in the same year.Media release: https://thehighlanders.co.nz/media-centre/news/963-liam-coltman-commits-to-highlanders-and-nz-rugby
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@Stargazer Why isn't he in the Under 20s, surely if he gets called into a Super side he makes that 20's side in his sleep?
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@Canes4life Yep, it's ridiculous, especially after watching that first U20 game against Fiji, in which game management was completely lacking. But Philpott the head coach and an assistant coach from the Poo as backs coach ....
They obviously didn't watch Haweke's Bay games during the Mitre 10 Cup last season.
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@Stargazer funnily enough, the thing that is most impressive from the limited minutes I have seen of McLutchie is actually his ability to put others into space and his overall game management - something that Mo'unga does really well aswell.
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@Canes4life Yeah, there are similarities, also in the way he moves.
It's funny, before the M10 Cup season, I wondered whether McC was ready for NPC (then 19 years old). Falcon started the first 5 games of the season and there was no specialist 10 cover on the bench. Falcon went down injured, and his replacement was absolutely shit. McClutchie made his debut at 10 in round 6 and looked as if he belonged there from the start. I think he actually played better than Falcon (who had only just returned from a long-term injury). The guys selected for the NZU20s (Burke and Reihana) have no NPC experience. McClutchie has played an NPC semi-final. I just don't get it.
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Personal issues sideline Liam Squire
All Blacks loose forward Liam Squire will miss the Highlanders' upcoming tour of South Africa to deal with personal issues. Squire was meant to make his Super Rugby season debut yesterday, off the bench against the Jaguares, but he was a late withdrawal as the Highlanders claimed a 32-27 victory. Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger explained that Squire's absence was due to personal matters. "Definitely Liam was a bit of a blow ... he's just dealing with some personal family issues at the moment. "He won't come back on tour with us - at least for the first week, but as it stands it's likely to be the duration of the tour. "It's important that our boys are in a space to play the games and at the moment Liam's got to attend to a few things that he needs to deal to." Squire has yet to play for the Highlanders in 2019, after first having a hip injury that kept him out for the opening month. Just as he was back into full training, he tore the medial ligament in his knee, and now the earliest he will be able to return is in the Highlanders' penultimate game of the regular season.It's not the only All Blacks blow the Highlanders are going to suffer from, with Jackson Hemopo also not available to play in their games against the Lions and the Stormers due to a knee injury. "We need to take fresh bodies, he won't be available for the first game against the Lions, so we want to make sure we've got fully fit bodies on the field," said Mauger. Winger Tevita Li is also a doubt for the touring side after suffering a hamstring injury in the win yesterday, but he will be evaluated before the squad is named this morning. In better news for the Highlanders, All Blacks winger Waisake Naholo will be included in the 27-man squad after recovering from an ACL injury, while Teihorangi Walden will also return to the squad and be available for selection. -
I wonder why Whetton went to the Highlanders who are pretty well equipped with locks (Franklin, Hemopo, Dickson, Parkinson) while teams like the Chiefs and the Canes are struggling to find locks who are standing above 1.95 m. He could have got more game time there.
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@cgrant said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
I wonder why Whetton went to the Highlanders who are pretty well equipped with locks (Franklin, Hemopo, Dickson, Parkinson) while teams like the Chiefs and the Canes are struggling to find locks who are standing above 1.95 m. He could have got more game time there.
Last year there were rumours that he was going to the Canes. That would have the best decision
He was named to start against the Crusaders but that was the cancelled game. He’s barely made the bench since then
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@Duluth said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
@cgrant said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
I wonder why Whetton went to the Highlanders who are pretty well equipped with locks (Franklin, Hemopo, Dickson, Parkinson) while teams like the Chiefs and the Canes are struggling to find locks who are standing above 1.95 m. He could have got more game time there.
Last year there were rumours that he was going to the Canes. That would have the best decision
He was named to start against the Crusaders but that was the cancelled game. He’s barely made the bench since then
So he could sit on the bench or in the stands with the other locks over 1.90m watching the midget play?
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