Woodcock Heads South to the Highlanders

[TRF Mr Fish]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/7642698/Tony-Woodcock-to-join-Highlanders

Woodcock has signed for the Highlanders, basically citing a desire for a change as the major reason.

This is very interesting, as the Highlanders already have Jamie Mackintosh (captain) as their primary loosehead, and were looking likely to sign Ben Franks, who wants to focus solely on playing tighthead. Franks won't want to go to the Blues where they already have Faumuina, so he could still head South or perhaps head to the Hurricanes, who look to have the weakest front row of the Super Rugby sides currently.

 

[nickdnz]

Weird. They have Woodcock, Mackintosh, King, Ellison and perhpas Ben Franks...

I don't know if they're trying to strengthen their own front row or just ruin everybody elses...

 

[Amobokoboko]

Killer front row. I think it's a tactical move to boycott all the other teams.

 

[Larksea]

Did not see that coming, how the hell is that going to work, as stated Mackintosh is their captain and loose head prop. They are both 80min players

Wonder what Jamie is thinking right now. A move to the blues???

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I am assuming they know something about Jamie leaving, i wasn't sure if he had actually signed for next year, or is one of them going to try and move to the tight? Franks hasn't signed yet....

I was also hugely impressed with Fia this year when he got his chances and hope he is kept on but that is looking less and less likely

 

[Larksea]

imagine a starting front row of Woodock, Hore and Ben Franks for the highlanders in 2013..?

or a forward pack that looks something like:

1, Woodcock
2, hore
3, ben Franks
4, Hoeata
5, Bekhuis
6, Joe Wheeler
7, hardie
8, Manu

do wonder on the future of Bekhuis, for so long it seemed a matter of time till he was an all black now I can't remember the last game he stood out in and he's spending more time on the bench. Now I look at the above pack and thing maybe the one player that it would not be too hard to recruit and improve on is Bekhuis.

 

[William18]

I reckon Franks will go to the Blues now or hopefully the Canes.

 

[Darwin]

Wow, I didn't see that coming!

Great news for the Highlanders - now we have a LH prop who can actually scrummage! Not sure what this means for Mackintosh - assuming they are going with 8 man benched next season he may well stick around, though he may be tempted to go to the Blues. I think Woodcock's signing makes it more likely that Ben Franks will sign with the Highlanders, as he would have an opportunity to form a strong front-row alongside quality scrummagers such as Woodcock and Hore, which will give him the best chance possible to push for AB's selection.

If the Highlanders manage to secure Ben Franks I think Highlanders management should be suggesting to MackIntosh that he move elsewhere - I'm not sure whether he will be happy sitting on the bench each week, and I would be more than happy to have King and Fia as my bench props. If I was MackIntosh I would be looking overseas - it is clear he is not going to get anywhere near the AB's given the fact he can't scrummage to save himself, so he should try to make money while he can. However he will have to be careful where he goes - if he heads somewhere where the ability to scrum is at a premium he may not last very long!

 

[Larksea]

yeah, look at it any way you want it's bad news for mackintosh, i think in terms of test level he's slipped down the pecking order even though Crockett I believe is also slipping down as well. I'd even say Mackintosh may even have guys like Toby Smith and Ben May ahead of him in the pecking order.

Like the highlanders he seems to go through periods of great form and also times of poor form. Lack of consistency at scrum time in particular the biggest concern.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

agree with all of than Darwin....but am afriad William might be right....i just dont know

I am wondering if they have promissed the captaincy to thomo to try and keep him here and then whoppa milll be free to move on....

 

[Keithmurdoch]

Looks like Joeseph may be trying to recreate the Otago methods of old - beligerant fowrad domination and fast ball to unorthidox backs...
Kes Meews // Ben Franks = similar
David Latta or Anton oliver // Andrew Hore = similar
Tony Woodcock // Carl Hoeft = very similar
Locks need attention
Henderson or Kronfeld // hardie, although Thompson does a lot at the breakdown
Pene // Manu -fine
Joeseph // probably Hoeata fills his roll, although I'd imagine he'd spend much of his time at lock this year
Foster // Not as sharp as smith
Stephen Bachop or Tony Brown // not as good as Colin Slade potetially is
John Leslie // I'm a better distributor than John Leslie
Marc Ellis // rather have Piutau
Timu // Timu was awesome, but the top ten wingers in NZ right now are all pretty great: if we get the fifteeth thats jane-gear-savea-piuteau the younger-guilford-maitland-ranger-masunga-Tu'ala-Stowers-moala-tuitavaki-vaiinu-osbourne-poki: Kade Poki! with that wee 7s stepper up our sleve
Paul Cooke // wasn't as good as Hosea Gear
Greg Cooper // rather have Smith

Good plan Jamie! Just need to sign a hard arse lock or blindside, or if Thompson absconds a quality 7 (Luke Braid or Sam Cane would be ideal) exciting times.
The thing is though, domination rather than parity is key up front. This is why the imperitive must be on securing another extremly abrasive loose foward and an ariel (but also agressive) lock, like a Bayfield, a Jack or an Albacete. So far so good though!

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I don't think they'll be getting their hands on either Braid or Cane Maybe Braid the Elder...

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Looks like Joeseph may be trying to recreate the Otago methods of old - beligerant fowrad domination and fast ball to unorthidox backs...
Kes Meews // Ben Franks = similar
David Latta or Anton oliver // Andrew Hore = similar
Tony Woodcock // Carl Hoeft = very similar
Locks need attention
Henderson or Kronfeld // hardie, although Thompson does a lot at the breakdown
Pene // Manu -fine
Joeseph // probably Hoeata fills his roll, although I'd imagine he'd spend much of his time at lock this year
Foster // Not as sharp as smith
Stephen Bachop or Tony Brown // not as good as Colin Slade potetially is
John Leslie // I'm a better distributor than John Leslie
Marc Ellis // rather have Piutau
Timu // Timu was awesome, but the top ten wingers in NZ right now are all pretty great: if we get the fifteeth thats jane-gear-savea-piuteau the younger-guilford-maitland-ranger-masunga-Tu'ala-Stowers-moala-tuitavaki-vaiinu-osbourne-poki: Kade Poki! with that wee 7s stepper up our sleve
Paul Cooke // wasn't as good as Hosea Gear
Greg Cooper // rather have Smith

Good plan Jamie! Just need to sign a hard arse lock or blindside, or if Thompson absconds a quality 7 (Luke Braid or Sam Cane would be ideal) exciting times.
The thing is though, domination rather than parity is key up front. This is why the imperitive must be on securing another extremly abrasive loose foward and an ariel (but also agressive) lock, like a Bayfield, a Jack or an Albacete. So far so good though!

intereseting....you forgot Goldie though and i would argue he would deserve a sport in any team...ever

and Paul cooke (still otago record try scorer?) has scored more tries than gear ever will... and thats coming from a Gear fan

 

[Darwin]

I don't think they'll be getting their hands on either Braid or Cane Maybe Braid the Elder...

Hopefully Hardie continues to show the form he displayed at the start of this season before he was injured, as it looked like he was starting to deliver on his potential...

intereseting....you forgot Goldie though and i would argue he would deserve a sport in any team...ever

and Paul cooke (still otago record try scorer?) has scored more tries than gear ever will... and thats coming from a Gear fan

He was a useful player wasn't he. I was just watching some youtube clips of him the other day (as you do at work!) - if there is a current day player with as much skill as Wilson I haven't seen him!

A few examples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQrdvE3XHfI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2RaLXEU014&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHF82ntWehg&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bup4Bqd-PWo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33KjEFbbrQg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMu2NliBC-k
I could spend all day watching these videos

 

[Shaggy]

I don't think they'll be getting their hands on either Braid or Cane Maybe Braid the Elder...

You're probably right, they could probably pick up some other good open sides from the ITM cup though ... maybe Shane Christie from the Makos