[2017 Super Rugby] Round 6: Highlanders vs. Rebels (31/03/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium
Time: 08:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

Teams

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (captain), 14 Tevita Li, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Richard Buckman, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Marty Banks, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Joe Wheeler, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Aki Seiuli

Substitutes: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Siosuia Halanukonuka, 19 Elliot Dixon, 20 Tupou Sopoaga, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Fletcher Smith, 23 Matt Faddes

Rebels: 15 Jack Debreczeni, 14 Tom English, 13 Mitch Inman, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 Nic Stirzaker (captain), 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Colby Fainga'a, 6 Jordy Reid, 5 Steve Cummins, 4 Culum Retallick, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 James Hanson, 1 Fereti Sa'aga

Substitutes (two to be omitted): 16 Siliva Siliva, 17 Tom Moloney, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Dominic Day, 20 Lopeti Timani, 21 Jake Schatz, 22 Esei Haangana, 23 Mick Snowden, 24 Sione Tuipulotu, 25 Ben Volavola

 

[Makos]

Pulse Energy Highlanders v Rebels - 7.35pm, Friday 31st March, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

1.Aki Seiuli
2.Liam Coltman
3.Siate Tokolahi
4.Joe Wheeler
5.Tom Franklin
6.Gareth Evans
7.Dillon Hunt
8.Luke Whitelock
9.Aaron Smith
10.Marty Banks
11.Patrick Osborne
12.Richard Buckman
13.Malakai Fekitoa
14.Tevita Li
15.Ben Smith (c)

RESERVES

Greg Pleasants-Tate
Daniel Lienert-Brown
Siosuia Halanukonuka
Elliot Dixon
Tupou Sopoaga
Kayne Hammington
Fletcher Smith
Matt Faddes



Should be a 5 point win for the Highlanders. They need to be weary though, the Rebels have started to find a bit of form, looking better vs the Chiefs & if it wasn't for a 2nd half implosion vs the Tahs they should've notched up their first win.

The Highlanders need to be focused and not take these guys lightly, they have some quality players.

It's a good looking Highlanders bench, which means the game is likely to open up in the 2nd half & it should see them home, expecting a tighter 1st half.

Congratulations to Aaron Smith for his 100th match as well.

 

[Makos]

Pretty good stuff from the Highlanders, about time they got an easier fixture.

I won't read too much into this match as the Rebels were flat and lethargic for the majority of the match. The only thing good they did was defend well for periods. Their basic error rate was really unprofessional as was their attitude in the first 20 minutes. Fortunately they pulled their head in and defended well until the 2nd half.

Whitelock is looking more & more like an All Black week after week. Showed great leadership & commitment everywhere around the park. Superb at the breakdown & wins a lot of ball. He's also an extremely quick & good with the ball in hand. No doubt will get a call up for the All Blacks wider squad this winter. Once the Highlanders have Squire, Dixon & Whitelock, Pryor, Christie, Evans, Ljenties all fit at the same time, they're going to be a hard team to stop.

Tevita Li had a really good game, great tactical kicking from him.

Fekitoa had a great game. 2 really well taken tries.

The Highlanders front row was impressive.

From the Rebels the Wallaby Hodge is a great player. The Wallabies at least have some good backs coming through.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Good performance from the Landers but that was really disappointing from the Rebels, a big step back from their last couple weeks, I think even the Sunwolves could've pipped them with that performance. You'd expect more from a team fighting for their place in the comp.
For me the standouts were Whitelock and Li. Whitelock's overall performance was impressive and Li showed that he has more strings to his bow than just potency with ball in hand, which was a very pleasant surprise. Gareth Evans and the front row were also very impressive. Shout out too to Nuggy for his 100. Legend.
Just a bit annoyed that Bender didn't play because I put him in my fantasy team, so that's gonna cost me a few points

On a serious note though, Aussie rugby really is in a bad way right now, and this is shaping up to be the weekend from hell... could be four straight thumpings at the hands of the Kiwi teams.

 

[Makos]

Just a bit annoyed that Bender didn't play because I put him in my fantasy team, so that's gonna cost me a few points

So did I mate, had him captain to. Fortunately I flicked it on prior to kick off and saw him talking pre-match with Justin Marshall who was giving his usual scintillating analysis lol & Jeff Wilson, so I was able to sub him out in time. I'm relieved they rested him, there was no need for him to play this game & risk anything.


Also can the Rebels fan that frequents here fill us in on why Timani isn't starting? Reid had an absolute shocker of the game. Literally everything he did was bad, from knock-ons to foot in touch, missed tackles, giving away penalties. Timani was a stand out player last season. Why isn't he starting?

 

[Car]

Also can the Rebels fan that frequents here fill us in on why Timani isn't starting? Reid had an absolute shocker of the game. Literally everything he did was bad, from knock-ons to foot in touch, missed tackles, giving away penalties. Timani was a stand out player last season. Why isn't he starting?

"Lock pair Dom Day and Culum Retallick, along with hooker James Hanson, suffered head knocks against the Waratahs and Lopeti Timani will face a late fitness test after injury sidelined the Wallaby last week."

Source: https://melbournerebels.com/2017/03/30/mcgahan-wants-bench-impact/

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Great to watch

A sad indication of where Aussie rugby is now, I live in Melbourne and walked round to my local to watch...had to tell them what channel the game was on. This was a pub with sport on tv too, they just had it on the racing channel

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

So did I mate, had him captain to. Fortunately I flicked it on prior to kick off and saw him talking pre-match with Justin Marshall who was giving his usual scintillating analysis lol & Jeff Wilson, so I was able to sub him out in time.

Lucky! What website do you play on? I'm on Superbru.

 

[galumay]

It looked like the Rebels missed the plane to NZ for most of that game. Just woeful.