[2014 Super Rugby] New Zealand conference

[Kiwiwomble]

thanks for the contribution

 

[Gena_ZA]

Really miss the days of Anton Oliver and Jeff Wilson and the House of Pain - those are the Highlanders memories I recall when starting to follow NZ rugby
May they return soon

 

[Icemn]

Agree with what you've said!

Presumably Benji will be next in line for 10 IF Kerr doesn't go so well. I like Kerr though and think he will do a good job. Hope Piri speeds up a bit and gets him some good quick ball though! Slow/stagnat ball won't do Kerr (or the Blues backline) much good.

agreed... the blues problem have been on 10. they need a playmaker there like King carlos. they need a flyhalf that will always have the opposition thinking... I would play Benji, is Kerr a running flyhalf? don't know him so I cant say who needs to start

but the blues need a running flying...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Weepu is the key man for me. If he fires the Blues will challenge.

 

[Icemn]

in 2011 when this whole conference system started... the NZ unions got together and decided the only way for a NZ team to win this, is to let 1 team inject points into the other teams meaning they will finish last...

so in 2011 it was the chiefs, 2012 it was the blues, in 2013 the highlanders.... so in 2014 its the hurricanes... I doubt the saders will be up this year...

ya bite me...

 

[Gena_ZA]

 

[Rhyer]

That training session looked bloody intense.

 

[Darwin]

I am quoting ABs2011 here cause sadly I agree.

"I do think they will be dead last in the NZ conference though! That squad on paper doesn't look like it will be able to compete consistently unfortunately."

I actually expect the Highlanders will do a lot better than many people are expecting - I would actually be surprised if we come dead last in the NZ conference. There is no doubt that we have the weakest of the NZ teams "on paper", but we have enough talent sprinkled through the squad to pull off the odd upset. I'm not a big fan of Jamie Josephs coaching style, but I do feel he is much better coaching a side full of solid players than a side full of superstars. We had some success in 2011 when Joseph took over with a similar strength side. The key to this success was the 'back to basics' approach that Joseph adopted: there were no complicated backline moves, backs and forwards alike ran hard (and straight!), and our forwards ploughed into rucks hard, often turning over opposition ball through shear weight of numbers. The Highlanders style has changed dramatically over the last two seasons - last year we had a "run at all costs" gamplan, the backs spend most of the season passing the ball from side to side, while the forwards seemed to scared to even hit a breakdown. If the Highlanders adopt a far more simple game-plan this season we could cause a few teams some issues - we are very unlikely to make the playoffs, but finishing somewhere around 8th-10th is not out of the question. However if we continue playing the style we tried last season there is a very realistic chance we will get dead last.....

 

[Kiwiwomble]

i agree

i was pretty disappointed when Jamie seemed to start from scratch with the tactics last year rather than building on what we had before.

I remember a move we pulled in 2011 or 2012 where i think it was treeby cut back off a pass from first five and feed gear in the tackle. first five had kept his run and now the two other them we're behind the line with fullback, center and wing roaming wide. it was really simple but worked a treat and is the kind of thing we should have been doing with nonu rather than just passing it too him and waiting for some magic, the few times he did break the line no one was with him.

Joseph really dropped the ball on loosies last year too which was a surprise. Thompson was almost as important as Smith is and yet when he left joseph didn't really seem to care...we'll just pick up a couple of random guys from japan to cover 6 kind of deal, its not that important, it was very strange

this squad although with less superstars in the most well rounded we've had in a while so i'm hoping for a better team effort, champion team v a team of champions etc

 

[Icemn]

the canes are taken it this year!!!!

my opinion is based on the new jerseys! cuz they awesome

 

[Adakins]

Just saw this, I'm happy they signed him. Hopefully he can get a shot at a game.
http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=41136#.UtQnnPRDsb0

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Just saw this, I'm happy they signed him. Hopefully he can get a shot at a game.
http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=41136#.UtQnnPRDsb0

As well as Ihaia West a number of other players have trained with the Chiefs recently, including Marty Mckenzie, Michael Allardice, Doug Tiejtens, Seta Tamanivalu and Jordan Payne, along with lesser known players such as James Tucker (WAI lock, winner of the NZ v AUS schools Golden Boot award 2012), Jono Kitto (BOP halfback), Jarrod Firth (CM prop) and Joe Royal (BOP hooker).

 

[Kiwiwomble]

have all the super threads been merged?

 

[Draggs]

have all the super threads been merged?

Yeah, it was getting a bit cluttered with like ten individual team threads floating about.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

how are we to talk about secret tactics etc?!?!

 

[Draggs]

Obvious joke is highlanders have tactics?!

 

[ratsapprentice]

...yis... Bin Smuth

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

have all the super threads been merged?

I can't express how happy it has made me.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Obvious joke is highlanders have tactics?!

WE HAVE TACTICS!

....they just don't work and they aren't secrets because anyone can see them coming a miles off

 

[Darwin]

WE HAVE TACTICS!

....they just don't work and they aren't secrets because anyone can see them coming a miles off

Sadly I agree. We do have tactics - sadly they are **** tactics and completely unsuited to the team we have. I still think we would have performed much better last season with no tactics at all.....