Highlanders Pre-Season Thread

[Strathen]

From the ODT:
Highlanders team named for Crusaders clash
The Highlanders team to play the Crusaders in a pre-season game in Greymouth on Friday has been named.

It is: Ben Smith, Telusa Veainu, Kendrick Lynn, Glenn Dickson, Kade Poki, Lima Sopoaga, Jimmy Cowan, Elliot Dixon, John Hardie, Adam Thomson, Culum Retallick, Daniel Ramsay, Ma'afu Fia, Andrew Hore, Bronson Murray.

Reserves: Jason Rutledge, Chris King, Hoani MacDonald, Doug Tietjens, Aaron Smith, Kurt Baker, Chris Noakes, Buxton Popoali'i, Nemia Kenatale, Nick Crosswell.

[Strathen]

I've picked the main points from this long article and put below:

Crunch time for Highlanders in Japan
http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/196271/rugby-crunch-time-highlanders-japan
A result this weekend will decide when the two members of the Highlanders plying their trade in Japan will become available for the franchise.

English loose forward James Haskell and former All Black utility back Tamati Ellison are both playing in the Japanese league for the Ricoh Black Rams. ... If the Rams lose, they will be out of the play-offs and both Haskell and Ellison will be free to come to New Zealand and link with the Highlanders next week.

But if they win the pair will spend the next few weeks in Japan in the finals series, and will not be heading south until the week the Super 15 kicks off.

...

The Black Rams also have All Black Ma'a Nonu in their side and he will miss the first two rounds of the Super 15 competition for his new side, the Blues.

...

Joseph will also have to do without All Black winger Hosea Gear on Friday when the side plays its first pre-season game against the Crusaders in Greymouth.

Gear had wanted to play in the Wellington Sevens tournament this weekend and Joseph said he fully supported the former Hurricane lining up for New Zealand.

"I think playing sevens can only be good for us. It will sharpen him up and get him really involved, plus it allows a few guys who didn't get much of a go last year to show their wares on Friday."

...

All Black first five-eighth Colin Slade has come through a hernia operation successfully and Joseph said it was touch and go whether he would play the first match. Slade had the hernia operation last week and was back in light training.

...

There's more in the article, but it's about a Crusader named Donnelly...

[Penny]

What we are all waiting to hear strathie is who is going to be your man crush this year??  Decided yet?? Did you send poor Slade some flowers after his op??? ;-)

[Strathen]

I'm not too sure this year Pennz. I might just let the man-crush develop naturally as the players play. Some battler is going to stand out, put his hand up, and get promoted and stalked by myself. It may be after the first week, it could take 5 weeks. 

No, Slade has fallen in the ranks a bit. Sure, he's a massive talent, but to be deserved of a man-crush, he needs to play more games than I in a season. 

[Old lock]

Hmmmm Chris Noakes has fallen off his pedestal. So, I kinda like Hoeata.    But, then it's hard not to be a Thomo fan. 

[Penny]

Well if it helps my favourite highlander is Jamie Mackintosh. :-).

Not entirely convinced that our criteria is the same though, so probably not much help.

[Strathen]

Clotty hat-trick sinks Highlanders
http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/196682/rugby-clotty-hat-trick-sinks-highlanders

The Highlanders had to deal with a Ryan Crotty hat-trick within the first 20 minutes and a rock-solid defence from the rest of his Crusader team-mates as the men in blue and gold conceded seven tries in a 47-19 thumping at Rugby Park, Greymouth.

The Highlanders, in their second season under coach Jamie Joseph, took a hiding from the organised Crusaders in the opening half of the Super 15 warm-up match yesterday.

All the damage was done by the end of the second 20-minute quarter, the Crusaders taking a 35-0 lead into the corrugated iron Rugby Park changing sheds.

Second five-eighth Crotty, sporting an old Western-style cowboy moustache, had crossed the line three times by the 26 minute mark, kicker Tyler Bleyendaal happily knocking over the easy conversions.

The Highlanders' first points didn't arrive until a solid five-minute period with the ball in hand just before the end of the third quarter - prop Bronson Murray squeezing through tired Crusaders tacklers to make it 40-5.

The Highlanders were helped by five successive penalties in the build up to the try, and the red and black-dominated crowd even cheered for the men from the south when they scored.

It was a game turning point for the souther franchise.

Although too little, too late, substitutes Nasi Manu and Buxton Popoali'i both touched down within the final quarter as the Crusaders responded with only one of their own through flanker Joe Wheeler.

George Whitelock, Willi Heinz and Bleyendaal had scored earlier for the Crusaders.

Highlanders assistant coach Simon Culhane said his players needed the blow out, and one-on-one defence would be a priority for the team in the lead up to the start of the Super 15.

"We were sorry second in the first half - we didn't get a lot of ball and they got pretty easy gain line and capitalised from it. Our personnel changes in the second half helped ... The guys needed to have a game."

Crotty, easily the match's stand out player, said he was pleased the West Coast rain had stayed away.

"It was tough to get the lungs going for the first game, but we're pretty happy."

He said the days leading up to the match, during which the Crusaders squad split up and visited a number of the district's schools, had been a highlight for him.

"You know, we laid the wreath at the Pike memorial today ... that was a bit emotional but it's been good to get amongst it."

Results

Crusaders 47 (R Crotty 3, T Bleyendaal, W Heinz, G Whitelock, J Wheeler tries; Bleyendaal 5 cons, A Ellis con), Highlanders 19 (B Murray, N Manu, B Popoali'i tries; C Noakes 2 cons).

[Strathen]

Not a bad hit out against the most organised team in the comp that probably has the most depth as well. Whilst I'm not making excuses, we always suck at pre-season games.

As they say, a good hit out considering the players that got most of the game time. It won't be this year, but hopefully one day we will have the depth to ensure we're not relying on the top 22 to be fit for us to be competitive. 

[Penny]

There is hope for the Hurricanes on the 17th March then!

[Strathen]

Hurricanes (22) lost to the lacklustre Blues (36) in a 6 tries to one romp. Hope, maybe. Although considering the next article on the Highlanders, it could be more than hope and a genuine chance... 

[Strathen]

Highlanders tackle injury list as kickoff nears
BRENDON EGAN

When it rains, it pours.

The Highlanders are facing an injury crisis three weeks out from the start of the Super Rugby season...
Rest of article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/6379937/Highlanders-tackle-injury-list-as-kickoff-nears

Injury list:
Colin Slade - Hernia Operation
Jarrad Hoeata - Torn pectoral muscle - 6 weeks
Kendrick Lynn - Fractured Neck - 2 months
Kade Poki - medial ligament strain to knee - Touch n go for first round
Jamie Mackintosh - working way back after post season op
Josh Bekhuis - working way back after post season op
Shaun Treeby - on the sidelines (not sure what this is)
Siale Piutau - leg in plaster

With Tamati Ellison in Japan still, it leaves the Highlanders with no midfield. Probably put Smith there and hope he doesn't get injured as well.

[Penny]

Yeah I knew the canes lost, but just decided to leave that out   But look at your injury list AGAIN (didn't we have a running injury list last season??)

Poor Jamie is injured, do you think he needs some help recovering?? 

[Strathen]

Not too sure if it's a groin injury Pennz... 

[Strathen]

Yeah I knew the canes lost, but just decided to leave that out   But look at your injury list AGAIN (didn't we have a running injury list last season??)

I'm trying not to look at the list too much, it's a little depressing. I don't think you can draw a comparison between the Highlanders injuries and the Canes poor performance last year. You had a full squad when the Highlanders beat you in the first or second round last year, at home. After that, your players just gave up and pretended to be injured. I blame it on the culture of the team. 

[Penny]

Not too sure if it's a groin injury Pennz... 

    Not quite my thinking!


The canes were just "resting" themselves to be fantastic for the world cup.  Since they actually wanted to see that through rather than drop at the first sign of a ball.   

[Strathen]

Leave Colin Slade out of this... 

[Strathen]

A more formal list of the injured players, and Penny will get her hopes up now she sees Jamie is out with a pelvis injury... Give it a 'rub' Pen-wah?

Highlanders Unavailable

? Kade Poki - knee (return unknown)
? Colin Slade - hernia (another two weeks)
? Siale Piutau - ankle (six weeks)
? Kendrick Lynn - neck (two months)
? Tamati Ellison - Japan (two weeks)
? Shaun Treeby - knee (unknown)
? James Haskell - Japan (two weeks)
? Josh Bekhuis hip - (unknown)
? Jarrad Hoeata shoulder - (two months)
? Jamie Mackintosh pelvis - (unknown)

[Strathen]

And, apparently the Highlanders are naming the West Stand the 'Zoo'. The tickets will be aimed at the students ($12.50 before game day) with extra activities and encouraging dressing up to get the students along for a fun filled atmosphere.

Sounds interesting, and even though I'm not sure how I feel about it, I like the fact they're trying stuff.

[Penny]

I am so on the next plane! ;-). Poor Jamie!

I must say I am impressed with the highlanders "extras" I tried to watch their highlanders tv but the sound didn't go for me.

So it's quite nice and a zoo is a good description. Good to get the students along.

[Strathen]

The Highlanders had sound issue with that video on mobile devices and recommended everyone to use headphones with their phones etc. as it should fix it.

I too am enjoying the extras. A lot of very frank and honest opinion directly from the players, coaches, and management. No longer are they hidden behind PR people releasing timed and considered media crap.

Their social media accounts also retweets other franchises and players from other franchises announcements, wishing them well if they're competing in something else too. I like that mentality!

I'm not sure if the other teams are doing this as I only follow the boys. Any insight on if the Hurricanes are doing new Penny?