2014 Super Rugby: Highlanders vs Rebels (Round 8)

[Jaguares]

15 Ben Smith (co-captain)
14 Richard Buckman
13 Malakai Fekitoa
12 Shaun Treeby
11 Kurt Baker
10 Lima Sopoaga
9 Aaron Smith
8 Nasi Manu (co-captain)
7 Shane Christie
6 Gareth Evans
5 Joe Wheeler
4 Jarrad Hoeata
3 Ma'afu Fia
2 Liam Coltman
1 Chris King

15 Jason Woodward
14 Male Sa'u
13 Tamati Ellison
12 Mitch Inman
11 Tom English
10 Bryce Hegarty
9 Nic Stirzaker
8 Scott Higginbotham
7 Scott Fuglistaller
6 Sean McMahon
5 Luke Jones
4 Hugh Pyle
3 Laurie Weeks
2 Shota Horie
1 Toby Smith

 

[Darwin]

Probably a game we should win (given our home ground advantage). Therefore - almost certainly - a game we will lose.

I assume the Highlanders side will be named today. I would like to Evans starting at 6, Parker at 10, Buckman at 12 and Baker on the wing but I doubt we will see any of that. I wouldn't mind seeing Wheeler starting at lock too (ahead of Hoeata), as we need someone in the side to contest the opposition lineout (Evans will help in this regard too). I'm sure I'm bound to be disappointed with the lineup Joseph selects though....

 

[Kiwiwomble]

agreed on almost all points, i'm happy with sopanga at 10 and i think franklin could help with those lineouts too

 

[Darwin]

agreed on almost all points, i'm happy with sopanga at 10 and i think franklin could help with those lineouts too

I would like to see Franklin in the 23 too, but I didn't want to ask for too much

My biggest issue with Sopoaga at 10 at the moment is the fact we has to hide him in defense, and even then he misses 2-3 tackles a match. It means Ben Smith has to defend up in the line - while he does a reasonable job of this I think we are asking far too much of him, and it means we don't get to see him counter-attacking from the back near as much (which is probably the best part of his game).

 

[Kiwiwomble]

agree completely...my concern is Parker isn't mach better on D, mainly due to size and if i was going to have either at fullback on D i think Sopanga is more likely to spark the counter attack

 

[nzlizard]

I think they need Sopoaga for his attack, watching last weeks game against the Blues I felt the game plan was give it to Ben Smith as much as possible and hope he could do something. It really felt like a one trick pony.

Aaron Smith needs to get his kicking game in order also, lots of lost opportunities by bad box kicking.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Not the best Highlanders team this season, not the worst... Not sure where Thorn is, can't find any mention that he's injured. That bench is a bit odd too...

HIGHLANDERS: Ben Smith (co-captain), Richard Buckman, Malakai Fekitoa, Shaun Treeby, Kurt Baker, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Nasi Manu (co-captain), Shane Christie, Gareth Evans, Joe Wheeler, Jarrad Hoeata, Ma'afu Fia, Liam Coltman, Chris King.Reserves; Ged Robinson, Craig Millar, Matias Diaz, Josh Bekhuis, Elliot Dixon, Fumiaki Tanaka, Trent Renata, TJ Ioane.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Not a bad team at all, good to see Evans and Baker starting, don't know where Osborne is though...

Thorn played for the eels on the weekend apparently so not injured

I rate renata, is actually not a bad first five

 

[Darwin]

agree completely...my concern is Parker isn't mach better on D, mainly due to size and if i was going to have either at fullback on D i think Sopanga is more likely to spark the counter attack

I agree Parker's defense is far from perfect, but it isn't too bad, and is certainly better than Sopoaga's at the moment. Parker is incredibly committed on defense, but as you say his lack of size can count against him. The important thing though is that when Parker has been on he has been defending in the line (unlike Sopoaga), hence Ben Smith would be the one counter-attacking from fullback if Parker started at 10. The frustrating thing about Sopoaga is that when he commits himself to defense he is actually pretty good. He is a solidly built guy - so size isn't a big issue for him - the problem is sometimes he just doesn't look interested in tackling. I think it is worse at the moment as he is forced to defend in positions he isn't familiar with (wing/fullback), and he doesn't really look like he knows what he is doing......

I think they need Sopoaga for his attack, watching last weeks game against the Blues I felt the game plan was give it to Ben Smith as much as possible and hope he could do something. It really felt like a one trick pony.

Aaron Smith needs to get his kicking game in order also, lots of lost opportunities by bad box kicking.

Sopoaga hasn't offered that much on attack though - in fact I think he has been pretty quiet with ball in hand this year. He can be a very good attacking player, but he seems to have reigned himself in somewhat this season. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing, as his error rate is a lot lower this year too. He needs to take the ball to the line a bit more and commit defenders (something he is more than capable of).

Not the best Highlanders team this season, not the worst... Not sure where Thorn is, can't find any mention that he's injured. That bench is a bit odd too...

HIGHLANDERS: Ben Smith (co-captain), Richard Buckman, Malakai Fekitoa, Shaun Treeby, Kurt Baker, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Nasi Manu (co-captain), Shane Christie, Gareth Evans, Joe Wheeler, Jarrad Hoeata, Ma'afu Fia, Liam Coltman, Chris King.Reserves; Ged Robinson, Craig Millar, Matias Diaz, Josh Bekhuis, Elliot Dixon, Fumiaki Tanaka, Trent Renata, TJ Ioane.

Hmmm...... Not the best team we could field IMO, but not the worst. Happy to see Coltman back starting - Robinson did a solid job last week, but Coltman has the potential to offer even more. The props were predictable once Hames was ruled out. It is good to see Wheeler back starting, but I have no idea where Thorn is gone! Great to see Evans back - he should have been starting the last 3 matches too.....

No surprise to see Treeby back for the injured Burleigh (though I would have liked to see Buckman tried at 12). Glad to see Baker back, but I have no idea where Osbourne is (injured?). I'm not a fan of the 6/2 split on the bench. I feel Dixon and Ioane fulfill a similar role off the bench, and we would be much better off having more backline cover. Obviously Renata gets the nod over Parker due to his versitility.

 

[Jaguares]

Rebels lineup: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Male Sa'u, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Nic Stirzaker, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Luke Jones,4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Toby Smith

 

[Darwin]

Are there actually any Australians in that Rebels lineup

Looking at the two lineups on paper we should win comfortably. Based on that we will almost certainly lose!

 

[Darwin]

Highlanders are playing rubbish rugby. Luckily the Rebels aren't playing any better.

 

[nzlizard]

Good to see a win by the Highlanders, but that last 2 minutes really sums them up, just look lost and not sure what to do.

Good idea trying for the bonus point try but everyone needs to be on-board, then get a penalty and no structure and kick the ball out.

 

[Darwin]

Happy we won. However if we had played a semi-competent side we would have lost by 20. We were pathetic. I will comment more tomorrow when I calm down a bit....

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Other than the weird choices if the last five minutes I thought we played really well! If one or two paces had gone to hand we would have raked up 50

I have my starting xv now,

15. Smith
14. Baker
13. Fekitoa
12. Would like to see buckman but treeby does well
11. Osborne
10. Soponga
9. Smith
8. Manu
7. christie
6. Evans
5. Wheeler
4. Thorn
3.
2. Coleman
1.


Props just some combination if king, hames and fia

That team can do some damage in this comp

 

[hjklhjkl]

Looks pretty bad...

 

[nzlizard]

Didn't see that while watching the game.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

That's really bad!....there goes my chance if having him start two games in a row

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yeah that'll be a 4 week ban I'd imagine...

 

[Draggs]

Six week ban for Baker. Joseph starts him once and this happens. Another few seasons on the naughty step I think.