Super 15: Highlanders - Hurricanes in Invercargill (13-05-2011

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Friday the 13th

In Invercargill, the Hurricanes will be looking to get revenge for the loss in round 1. The 2 teams started off the new improved Super15, in Wellington. In a match that was overshadowed by the red card for Ma'a Nonu, the Highlanders managed to snatch a win, which was the start of a magnificent season so far. Until last week, they were in the top6, heading towards the play offs.

Last weekend, the loss against the Chiefs and the Waratahs win, caused them to fall out of the play off spots. They will be eager to get back into it, and they will have to we at the top of their game to manage that. The last win in Wellington dates back to 2005 already when they beat the Canes 16-26. After that, the Hurricanes have not lost in matches against the Otago side, until last February. Last year it was a real cracker, that ended in a 31-33 win which included 5 tries each.

The last time the Highlanders won at home, was back in 2004 when they won 26-14

2011 Hurricanes 9-14 Highlanders
2010 Highlanders 31-33 Hurricanes
2009 Hurricanes 22-17 Highlanders
2008 Highlanders 6-10 Hurricanes
2007 Hurricanes 22-21 Highlanders
2006 Highlanders 13-29 Hurricanes
2005 Hurricanes 16-26 Highlanders
2004 Highlanders 26-14 Hurricanes
2003 Hurricanes 37-15 Highlanders
2002 Highlanders 19-10 Hurricanes

 

[Darwin]

Vitally important game here for the Highlanders if they want to make it into the playoffs this year. If they win the game they will be in a good position as they have the bye next week, followed by two very winnable games at home (against the Lions and Force), but they do finish the season with two very tough games (away versus Waratahs and Blues). The Highlanders team seems pretty beaten up though, with a number of injuries. Hopefully the Highlanders season doesn't go the same way as Southland's ITM Cup season went last year, where they had a wonderful start but faded badly at the end of the season.

Thomson is a huge loss for the Highlanders, as he's been their standout forward all year. They will likely either bring Nick Crosswell in to replace him at 6, or bring in Donnelly and switch Hoeata from lock to blindside flanker (as they have done previously). The Highlanders back line does not look in good shape, with Brown, Slade, Treeby, Piutau, and Paterson all out, with Poki very unlikely to play. Sopoaga looks set to start at 10 again. He was better than I thought he would be last week, taking the ball to the line very well, but he still made quite a few errors. Matt Saunders looks to be set to start at 12; he's played almost a full game there over the last few weeks anyways. Ben Smith, Robbie Robinson, and Telusa Veainu look likely to form the back three, with Ben Atiga likely to make his Highlanders debut from the bench. I'm a bit worried about how the Highlanders back line will deal with the Hurricanes attacking weapons (Cruden, Gear, Taylor, and the returning Nonu).

Hurricanes: Andre Taylor, Alapati Leiua, Jayden Hayward, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Aaron Cruden, Chris Eaton, Victor Vito, Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, James Broadhurst, Jason Eaton, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore (captain), John Schwalger. Reserves: Dane Coles, Anthony Perenise, Jeremy Thrush, Mark Reddish, Piri Weepu, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett.

Two changes as expected, with Weepu replacing the suspended Keats on the bench, and Nonu replacing Kirkpatrick (who drops out of the squad altogether).

 

[Kiwiwomble]

so we're expecting lima - Matt - Kenny with robbie, smith and Veainu as the outsides? which wing does Veainu play?

how many back reserves will we have?

Atinga and Smith (jrn) trying to remember the squad now....how about james wilson or Tony Koonwaiyou?

 

[Amobokoboko]

It's do-able for the highlanders.

 

[Darwin]

so we're expecting lima - Matt - Kenny with robbie, smith and Veainu as the outsides? which wing does Veainu play?

how many back reserves will we have?

Atinga and Smith (jrn) trying to remember the squad now....how about james wilson or Tony Koonwaiyou?

Just heard on the radio that Kade Poki has been passed fit and will start on the wing, which is great news for the Highlanders. Veainu will get his starting debut on the other wing, with Smith at fullback (with Robinson presumably on the bench). Veainu can play on either wing, but I assume he will play on the left, as Poki has been great on the right wing so far this year. Buxton Popoali'i has been training with the squad, so could be called in if there is another injury to the backs. A couple of changes in the forwards as well, with Donnelly and Schwalger replacing Thomson and Rutledge. Haven't seen the team named on the internet yet, but will post it when I do.

EDIT:
Highlanders:
Ben Smith, Kade Poki, Kendrick Lynn, Matt Saunders, Telusa Veainu, Lima Sopoaga, Jimmy Cowan, Nasi Manu, Alando Soakai, Jarrad Hoeata, Josh Bekhuis, Tom Donnelly, Chris King, Mo Schwalger, Jamie Mackintosh (c).
Reserves: Jason Rutledge, Bronson Murray, John Hardie, Nick Crosswell, Aaron Smith, Ben Atiga, (Robbie Robinson/Tony Brown).

 

[Cassie]

The Highlanders should win this if they don’t they will only dig the hole deeper that started last weekend.

 

[Larksea]

highlanders backline looks good despite the problems. Being able to bring in Poki & Veainu is huge - I think both are potential allblacks. Poki has been one of the best wingers in the whole competition even though he sometimes can be seen limping onto the field at the start of the game sometimes rather than the other way around.

Going to be a close game and I really want the highlanders to win. Hope Sopoaga has his kicking boots on.

The worry for the Highlanders is that the Canes forwards have found some form and they will welcome back Nonu. Canes and Chiefs are the two major hurdles bigger teams need to navigate - they both have the potential to beat anyone on the day.

But this is a home game the highlanders simply MUST win, that counts for something.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

the same game plan we worked in round one should work just as well in invers, we need to blunt their back attack and then take the chances we are given

 

[lance2010]

Going with the Canes for this one lol...Weepu returning will give the Canes some confidence even if he just on the bench,looking for Nonu to attack the line and run at Lima and Saunders.Canes will be happy Thompson is not playing but the forwards need to give the backs some go forward so Nonu/Gear can hopefully create some magic of their own...Great to see Ben Atiga in the Otago team.Hurricanes 27-15

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Going with the Canes for this one lol...

Laugh out loud?

 

[Darwin]

Going with the Canes for this one lol...Weepu returning will give the Canes some confidence even if he just on the bench,looking for Nonu to attack the line and run at Lima and Saunders.Canes will be happy Thompson is not playing but the forwards need to give the backs some go forward so Nonu/Gear can hopefully create some magic of their own...Great to see Ben Atiga in the Otago team.Hurricanes 27-15

Running straight at Sopoaga might be effective, but running straight at Saunders isn't going to get Nonu very far, as Saunders is a solid defender. The problem is that Saunders is the only big back in the Highlanders backline; the rest of the backs all giving up at least 15kg to Nonu and Hosea Gear, so may have trouble contain such powerful runners. The matchup between Poki and Gear on the wing will be great to watch (assuming Poki remains fit), as it will be a case of elusiveness versus power.

 

[Sam Owen]

Im going for the Highlanders but I hope guys like Gear and Nonu really do well.

 

[ranger]

You would think after roughly 3000 cynical penalties in the redzone a yellow card/ penalty try discussion would arise..

 

[Bossco]

Yeah that knockdown was pretty bad and cost a try, all teams do that though. Weepu been eating hard on his break.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Low scoring game.
Good to see the highlanders can win even with all there injuries.

 

[Cassie]

Dang it should have placed a bet on this one, was correct with the prediction that the Highlanders will win. In the end it was closely contested and ended up with a 13-6 win for the Highlanders

 

[ranger]

Yeah that knockdown was pretty bad and cost a try, all teams do that though. Weepu been eating hard on his break.

The knock down was just one of a huge number of infringements. **** poor that no one was even warned about anything, a word to the captain at least.

 

[TRF_RC]

A poor performance by the Canes tonight in poor conditions and it all came down to a bit of luck and a bit more skill for Ben Smith to get himself a try.
It was an ugly game and it was a shame the rain came down so hard tonight, but you can't deny the Highlanders deserved the victory. I thought maybe the Canes had done their homework and were gonna give the boys from Otago a tough time at the breakdown, but that aggression from the boys in yellow lasted only abotu 20 minutes, before Highlanders regained dominance as per usual.

 

[nickdnz]

The knock down was just one of a huge number of infringements. **** poor that no one was even warned about anything, a word to the captain at least.

Have to agree. There were quite a few infringments from the Highlanders, and the ones that were eventually picked up, never really went any further than a penalty. I'm a fan of Vinny Munro, but not his greatest game. With that in mind, the Hurricanes were hardly stellar. Someone needs to spend some time teaching the Canes how to not drop a ball on the oppositions try line. At least Piri Weepu looked good on his first match back, was suprised with how good some of his passes with under pressure, and his leg didn't look like it was giving him any trouble.

Cowan's a prat. Dad a very good game under the conditions, but such a prat.

 

[Muzzy]

highlanders been getting away with these infringements all season, thats why all their games are low scoring ones, imbo i only saw select parts of this game but even then i always saw highlanders players lying over the ball and using hands in the rucks