Hurricanes v Highlanders

[Stargazer]

Hurricanes
1 Chris Eves, 2 Dane Coles (c), 3 Jeffery To’omaga-Allen, 4 Mark Abbott, 5 Michael Fatialofa, 6 Brad Shields, 7 Callum Gibbins, 8 Ardie Savea, 9 TJ Perenara (vc), 10 Beauden Barrett, 11 Julian Savea, 12 Ngani Laumape, 13 Matt Proctor, 14 Vince Aso, 15 Jordie Barrett

Reserves: Ricky Riccitelli, Ben May, Mike Kainga, Sam Lousi, Reed Prinsep, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Otere Black, Wes Goosen.

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

Because so few people have viewed this thread, and nobody has responded, I'll kick off the discussion by highlighting this:

ARDIE plays at no. 8!!!

JORDIE gets a start at 15!!!

BFA is back!!!

[Crucial]

Bender's back.

[Stargazer]

I must have missed something; who is Dillon Hunt? Never heard of him.

It's a strong Highlanders backline; their weakness will definitely be in the forwards.

[mariner4life]

@Stargazer it is? Are they standout NPC players? Because i don't know who the 10 is, the 12 is solid but unspectacular, the 13 has tits for hands, and the 14 is a midfielder who looks out of place in the outside backs. Good 9 though, and the 11 is going alright this year.

[Stargazer]

@mariner4life 10 is probably the only exception, but the rest are good or excellent players.

Edit: Feki can be good, he's shown it; just not this season yet.
Bucky has repeatedly shown in 2015 (when Naholo was injured) that he can be great at the wing. I think Thomson deserves more credit, too.

[Tim]

@mariner4life said in Hurricanes v Highlanders:

@Stargazer it is? Are they standout NPC players? Because i don't know who the 10 is, the 12 is solid but unspectacular, the 13 has tits for hands, and the 14 is a midfielder who looks out of place in the outside backs. Good 9 though, and the 11 is going alright this year.

Maybe if they had a superstar like Whetu Douglas at 8 then the backs would be getting the ball to make them shine.

[Stargazer]

@Tim Or just have a better front row, but those damn injuries aye?

[KiwiMurph]

To me Tevita Li so far looks the exact same player he has been at the Blues - the odd nice run, the odd missed tackle, decent involvement but not a gamebreaker. About a millions times better outside back player than Michael Collins though.

[Bovidae]

Is Ainley rested or injured? He's the type of grizzled veteran you need in these games.

I've never heard of Dillon Hunt either but I see he's Auckland-born and was in the NZ U20s in 2015. Must have been a replacement player.

[Stargazer]

Highlanders:

Unavailable due to injury: Liam Squire, Shane Christie, Ash Dixon, Dan Pryor, Greg Pleasants-Tate, Lima Sopoaga, Waisake Naholo, Alex Ainley, Adrian Smith, Josh Dickson, James Lentjes, Siosuia Halanukonuka, Patrick Osborne

(Out for the season: Jason Emery, Hayden Parker)

Edited to add:
http://thehighlanders.co.nz/our-news/latest-news/813-pulse-energy-highlanders-to-play-hurricanes-in-wellington

The Highlanders have obvioulsy not updated the list, considering Halanukonuka is in the starting line-up

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer Halanukonuka is named in the team?

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Yup, just edited my post when yours came through.

[Stargazer]

Late change to the Highlanders line-up: Siate Tokolahi will come into the Highlanders XV at tighthead prop & Guy Millar takes place on the bench. So no Halanukonuka.

[Rancid Schnitzel]

Fast paced game so far.

And BB misses a kick. Let Jordie kick Beauden.

[Rancid Schnitzel]

Nice work by the forwards there. Ardie looking good at 8.

[Mattasaurus]

Landers d is good...but good simple footy from canes.

[Mattasaurus]

Great goosey

[Rancid Schnitzel]

What a waste of time.