Highlanders v Brumbies

[Darwin]

Looking forward to watching the Highlanders playing again after a week off. Have to go down to Invercargill for a wedding on Saturday, but am hoping that I can convince the wife to go down a day earlier so I can go to the rugby on Friday night

Will be interesting to see how the Highlanders go coming off a bye. The Highlanders team for the weekend has not yet been named, but Colin Slade and possibly Kade Poki are expected to be back this week ,which will be a huge bonus.

I'd expect a few changes in the forwards from the team that played the Crusaders, with the likes of MacIntosh and Rutledge likely to be back in the front row. Hopefully Thomson will switch back to 6, as he is more effective at 6 than at 7, and I'd like to see John Hardie start at 7 at his home ground.

If Kade Poki is fit he is bound to start on the wing, hopefully with Piutau on the other wing, as he has looked far more dangerous than Paterson so far this year.

 

[Shaggy]

What's the long range weather forecast for this one ... is Invercargill going to turn on thee balmy weather they are so famous for, for the Brumbies

... I expect it will be a torrid forward battle, but would like to see how Slade goes against Gits after such a long time off - i'm guessing that they'd probably start with Robbie Robinson, and slot Slade in as a replacement later in the game (if he plays)

 

[Darwin]

What's the long range weather forecast for this one ... is Invercargill going to turn on thee balmy weather they are so famous for, for the Brumbies

... I expect it will be a torrid forward battle, but would like to see how Slade goes against Gits after such a long time off - i'm guessing that they'd probably start with Robbie Robinson, and slot Slade in as a replacement later in the game (if he plays)

It's forecast to be fine at this stage, though I'm sure the Highlanders won't mind if there happens to be some rain/sleet/snow....

 

[Shaggy]

It's forecast to be fine at this stage, though I'm sure the Highlanders won't mind if there happens to be some rain/sleet/snow....

I guess that would be okay, providing the roof on the stands don't cave in again ... I've had to re-evaluate what I consider good weather, after leaving sunny Nelson, and then Sydney ... Having almost survived my first Canadian winter, I consider Invercargill weather almost tropical

... Good luck convincing the Missus to get you to the game, it should be a good one

 

[Darwin]

http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/slade-gets-first-start-highlanders-4093642Highlanders named:
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Kade Poki, 13 Kendrick Lynn, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Siale Piutau, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Chris King, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (capt).
Replacements: 16 Mo Schwalger, 17 Halani Aulika, 18 Josh Bekhuis, 19 Nick Crosswell, 20 Aaron Smith, 21 Tony Brown, 22 James Paterson.

Team more or less as expected - great to see both Slade and Poki back from injury. Slightly surprised to see Hoeata get the start at lock ahead of Bekhuis, though I suspect that they will be rotated throughout the season. Interesting to see Aulika on the bench - he could really add something in the last 20-odd mins with his strong ball running. Would have liked to see have seen Hardie start at 7, and likewise would definitely have preferred Robinson over Brown on the bench (though I suspect Robinson's late night altercation in Dunedin recently may have influenced this), but all in all a pretty good looking team!

 

[Cassie]

Highlanders looks good to win this one.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Should be a good game, hopefully the Highlanders will fin their winning spirit back.

 

[Shaggy]

Must admit, I feel much better about the Highlanders chances with Colin Slade there ... hope he's not too rusty after all of that time off

 

[Darwin]

Brumbies named:
15. Matt Toomua, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Andrew Smith, 12. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10. Matt Giteau, 9. Josh Valentine, 8. Ita Vaea, 7. Julian Salvi, 6. Peter Kimlin, 5. Mark Chisholm, 4. Ben Hand, 3. Salesi Ma'afu, 2. Huia Edmonds, 1. Ben Alexander.
Reserves: Anthony Hegarty, Dan Palmer, Colby Faingaa, Michael Hooper, Patrick Phibbs, Tyrone Smith, Francis Fainifo.

Looking at that team I'm quietly confident as a Highlanders supporter. The Brumbies really miss Moore up front, and for some reason they have benched one of the few Australian props that is strong at scrum time (Dan Palmer). Kimlin starts at 6 ahead of Colby Faingaa, which is another strange selection for me, as Colby Faingaa has been one of the better Brumbies players this season. Interestingly they have picked 3 first-five in their backline (Giteau, Lealiifano, and Toomua), with Ashley-Cooper switching to the wing to accommodate Toomua at fullback. Lealiifano is a notoriously weak defender, so I'd imagine the likes of Treeby, Piutau and Nasi Manu will be targeting the channel between Lealiifano and Giteau.

Overall I'm picking the Highlanders to win a relatively close match, by 5-10 points.

 

[Shaggy]

Brumbies named:
15. Matt Toomua, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Andrew Smith, 12. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10. Matt Giteau, 9. Josh Valentine, 8. Ita Vaea, 7. Julian Salvi, 6. Peter Kimlin, 5. Mark Chisholm, 4. Ben Hand, 3. Salesi Ma'afu, 2. Huia Edmonds, 1. Ben Alexander.
Reserves: Anthony Hegarty, Dan Palmer, Colby Faingaa, Michael Hooper, Patrick Phibbs, Tyrone Smith, Francis Fainifo.

Looking at that team I'm quietly confident as a Highlanders supporter. The Brumbies really miss Moore up front, and for some reason they have benched one of the few Australian props that is strong at scrum time (Dan Palmer). Kimlin starts at 6 ahead of Colby Faingaa, which is another strange selection for me, as Colby Faingaa has been one of the better Brumbies players this season. Interestingly they have picked 3 first-five in their backline (Giteau, Lealiifano, and Toomua), with Ashley-Cooper switching to the wing to accommodate Toomua at fullback. Lealiifano is a notoriously weak defender, so I'd imagine the likes of Treeby, Piutau and Nasi Manu will be targeting the channel between Lealiifano and Giteau.

Overall I'm picking the Highlanders to win a relatively close match, by 5-10 points.

Kimlin's an interesting pick at 6, he's a quite mobile lock, and should strengthen their line outs, driving play etc, but may slow up their loose trio ... i'd expect the highlanders to dominate the turn over stats

 

[donmcdazzle]

Treeby's direct running at Giteau/Leliafano should provide dividends. Hopefully Slade has a good one, some direction in the backline will help no end.

 

[dan the man]

I really hope that Slade has a blinder!!! It'll be great for his confidence coning back from injury and playing against a world class no.10... I think the Highlanders might take this one, should be close though. Having Slade and Poki back will be great!
Even if the weather is fine it'll be pretty cold for the Brumbies players... A win here could get the Highlanders back on track.

 

[Larksea]

Yeah I'm looking forward to slade coming back both for the sake of the highlanders and the All Blacks selection battle too. I pick an easy win to the highlanders but that depends on how Slades first proper game in his new colours goes. Also having their big guns who have big workloads like Thompson, MacIntosh & Cowan rested after a bye will be a big boost.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Does the return of Slade means Lima will start on the bench?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Does the return of Slade means Lima will start on the bench?

Tony in on the bench as Lima is still injured

I knid of hope tony stays on after lima comes back, as a trainer or something, i think he has been good for the team

(though I suspect Robinson's late night altercation in Dunedin recently may have influenced this

Im pretty sure I read somewhere they have said Robbie being dropped is for "internal discipline"

ps. when was the last time we went into a game a favourites?<O</O

 

[Darwin]

ps. when was the last time we went into a game a favourites?<O</O

Probably sometime in the late 90's

 

[Seaton]

Yay, Stewart Dickinson

How lovely he manages the scrums

Highlanders not fairing to well at the moment, not maintaining possesion

Something that is helping them is that (once again) Matt Gitaue has left his boots at home


And now they score, the Highlanders hooker showing some real gas there


Edit: Haha, Routledge scores his second in 2 minutes

I can't wait until the Sharks play the Brumbies

 

[TNT88]

Good game so far. The Brumbies forwards really need to step up in the 2nd half to deliver the Brumbies backline with the ball they need, if not, Highlanders should hold on.

 

[smartcooky]

As a referee, I have to say that I am ashamed to count Stuart Dickheadson as one of our own.

The yellow card to Tony Brown was wrong, wrong, wrong. Ever heard of counter-rucking Stu ,you dumb cvnt!

 

[Seaton]

Good win for the Highlanders, they didn't have a lot of good possesion, and they were lucky that Matt's kicking was off, otherwise they would havr been playing catch up rather than leading rugby


Where to for the Brumbies now? They have got a decent team with some good backs but just aren't playing at all well, they remind of the early season Sharks from last year

Highlanders play Cheetahs next week, so could well keep pace with the Crusaders.