Rugby: Theory becomes practice in Timaru

Jamie Joseph.
Jamie Joseph.
Players play.

Trainers train.

Come 2.30pm today the trainers will become players as the Highlanders' season gets under way.

Highlanders squad members have been working hard for six weeks hitting tackle bags, running round cones and studying white boards.

But the time to do only that is over. Playing the game is what they are paid to do and that will start today.

How much relevance the game will have to the actual season is debatable.

The Highlanders lost all three of their pre-season games last year yet ended up making the top six in the competition, and the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.

So what happens in January appears to have little relevance to what happens in May and June, the business end of the season.

But players can make an impact.

Last year, Malakai Fekitoa trained well and impressed in pre-season and we all know where his season ended up.

So it is a chance for someone who has been lying idle or a bit of a no-name to get up and put his head above water.

Both teams are shorn of their All Blacks and players with niggling injuries are not being risked.

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph said a game after all the training was what the players were after.

''We need to have a match. But it is January. It's still early. But we need a run to get a measure how we are tracking,'' he said.

The side had not trained specifically for the match and had just treated the week as a normal pre-season period.

The coach said with the match being played in quarters and the team travelling to Timaru today by bus, it was something foreign compared to the rest of the season.

Joseph will be keen to get his side to show some pattern and individual skills.

''We have been doing a lot of work on our attack and want to see how we go with the ball and want to get our set piece right. The lineout will be key for us, but it is the first time it will be challenged.''

He wants to set some good standards in the tackle, some good body positions, but acknowledged it was a first hit-out, so there is bound to be plenty of rust on display. Many players, though, will be sitting in the stand or absent altogether.

The biggest injury worry is winger Richard Buckman, who Joseph describes as being 50-50 for the first game of the season against the Crusaders on February 21.

Other players, such as loose forward Lee Allan (arm), hooker Ash Dixon (arm) and loose forward Shane Christie (knee) could have played at a stretch, but Joseph decided to give them another week to get their bodies right.

Big winger Patrick Osborne is slowly recovering from a calf injury and should be right next week.

It could be a chance today for the likes of backs Kurt Baker and Jason Emery, who saw little game time last year, while John Hardie should relish the chance to get some game time.

The forecast is for a fine day in Timaru, with a high of 24degC.

 


Highlanders v Crusaders
Timaru, today, 2.30pm

Highlanders: Kurt Baker, Ryan Tongia, Jason Emery, Shaun Treeby, Waisake Naholo, Lima Sopoaga, Scott Eade, Elliot Dixon (captain), John Hardie, James Lentjes, Mark Reddish, Tom Franklin, Ross Geldenhuys, Liam Coltman, Josh Hohneck.
Reserves: Sam Anderson-Heather, Kane Hames, Pingi Ta'alapitaga, Joe Latta, Alex Ainley, Nasi Manu, Liam Howley, Hayden Parker, Tei Walden, Trent Renata, Michael Collins

Crusaders: Johnny McNicholl, Jone Macalai, Kieron Fonotia, Nathaniel Apa, Nafi Tuitavake, Richie Mo'unga, Mitchell Drummond, Luke Whitelock, Matt Todd (captain), Tom Sanders, Jimmy Tupou, Scott Barrett, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Alex Hodgman.
Reserves: Ben Funnell, Daniel Lienart-Brown, Sione Faletau, Dominic Bird, Jordan Taufau, Billy Guyton, Robbie Fruean, Ged Robinson, Rob Thompson, Reed Prinsep, Michael Green, Willi Heinz, Milford Keresoma, Luke Romano, Jed Brown, Luteru Laulala

Referee: Nick Briant (Bay of Plenty)


 

 

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