Rugby: Where to go from the top?

Waisake Naholo.
Waisake Naholo.
The Highlanders have reached the peak, winning the big prize. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks back at the season and ponders the next.

 

Highlanders
Played 19, won 14, lost five

Points for: 531 points against: 417

Leadings points scorer: Lima Sopoaga 191 (38 con, 31 pen, 4d/g, 2 tries)

Leading tryscorers: Waisake Naholo 13, Patrick Osborne 8, Aaron Smith 7, Ben Smith 5

Appearances (substitute appearances in brackets): Ben Smith 17, Trent Renata 2 (1), Richard Buckman 12 (1), Kurt Baker 3 (3), Waisake Naholo 18, Ryan Tongia 2, Malakai Fekitoa 16, Jason Emery 12 (8), Patrick Osborne 18, Shaun Treeby 9 (1), Lima Sopoaga 18, Marty Banks 13 (11), Hayden Parker 1 (1), Aaron Smith 17, Fumiaki Tanaka 16 (14), Josh Renton 1 (1), Scott Eade 1 (1), Nasi Manu 15, John Hardie 8, Elliot Dixon 19 (4), Dan Pryor 16 (9), James Lentjes 6, Gareth Evans 14 (8), Shane Christie 2 (2), Joe Wheeler 11 (4), Tom Franklin 15 (4), Mark Reddish 14 (4), Joe Latta 5 (4), Alex Ainley 8, Jackson Hemopo 1 (1), Ross Geldenhuys 13 (9), Ma'afu Fia 3 (2), Josh Hohneck 18 (2), Brendon Edmonds 18 (4), Kane Hames 4 (1), Liam Coltman 19 (4), Ash Dixon 19 (15), Pingi Tala'apigata 6 (5), Daniel Lienert-Brown 11 (10).

Elliot Dixon.
Elliot Dixon.
Most valuable player: Halfback Aaron Smith. Smith just shades quite a few others, as there were plenty of men contributing to glory. The backline scored some great tries through his quick service and it would be hard to think of a better individual performance than he put on against the Chiefs in the first week of the playoffs.

Most improved player: Elliot Dixon made some strides last year but he went off the chart the further this season went on. Never appeared to miss a tackle, was dominant at the breakdown and scored a belter of a try in the final.

Rookie of the year: Waisake Naholo had impressed for Taranaki in the ITM Cup but he absolutely blew the competition wide open with his efforts. Maybe strictly not a rookie, having played a couple of games for the Blues in 2013, but he was sensational this year. Scored tries few others could have managed.

Best team man: Prop Josh Hohneck played in all but one game. Got round the field, made his tackles and never shirked on the scrummaging front. In the playoffs his game went up a notch and he helped the scrum stand firm as other sides looked to attack.

Best performance: This is not easy. But one would have to go for the final, when it was all at stake. In the biggest game of many players' careers, the Highlanders stood tall and played their game plan to perfection.

Worst performance: The side never seem to play well in Canberra. They went across the ditch minus their three All Blacks and were belted around by the the Brumbies, going down 31-18 after being behind 31-6 at halftime.

 

Five questions for 2016

Who is going to wear the No8 jersey? Warrior Nasi Manu has moved on and he must be adequately replaced. The 2013 season disappointment was not helped by the absence of Manu. Obvious candidates include Elliot Dixon and Gareth Evans.

Is this going to be Jamie Joseph's last year? By the end of next year, Joseph will have been in charge for six years. Will this be his final curtain call? Or does he stay around for another two years?

Any Otago locals going to make a run for the side? There may be one or two who may come out of the woodwork from the Otago side but the Otago team must have a good season and win more games than it loses.

Is it worth having multiple All Blacks? The Chiefs showed a few years ago and the Highlanders did this year sides do not need a bucketful of internationals to win games. All Blacks, especially in the forwards, tend to peak later in the year. They are not at their best in late March.

Are the Highlanders New Zealand's best hope for next season? The Blues will be rebuilding yet again, the Chiefs will miss Liam Messam and Sonny Bill Williams, the Crusaders have no decent No10 and the Hurricanes no longer have Smith and Nonu. Have the Highlanders, with all the key men coming back, got the best chance of the New Zealand sides?

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