Rugby wrap: Large Southland presence line up for Highlanders U20s
“They will learn a lot from that. It probably just reinforces that, yep, first XV rugby is a good level of rugby but when you are playing men it’s a different kettle of fish."
A host of Southland players have lined up for the Highlanders U20 team on Saturday, including the all Pirates-Old Boys frontrow of JJ Fisher, Shaun Kempton, and Thomas Jennings.
The Scott Eade-coached Highlanders U20 took on an Otago XV in Dunedin on Saturday.
The Otago XV - made up of Otago NPC players, or fringe Otago NPC players - won 31-19. The game played over three quarters and involved extended squads.
Eade was pleased with what the U20s got out of the game.
READ MORE: I want to pull the Stags jersey on for Dad
Highlanders U20s will now take on a powerful Crusaders U20 outfit in Timaru next week before heading to Taupo for the national U20s tournament where they will play the Blues first up.
Eade expects they will be tested physically by the Blues, so he was keen for a combative hit out against the Otago XV on Saturday and that’s what they got.
“I think looking at last year, the game against [a Southland XV] in Balclutha, if I compared that, this was a bit more combative and physical, and the game was less loose. It was exactly what we needed and wanted, with obviously taking on the Blues in a couple of weeks.
“We got a good work over and we fronted. The effort was good, but we missed a lot of opportunities at times, which is good because we created a lot
Eade started with a Highlanders U20s group of 40-plus players before narrowing it to 33 and it will now be reduced further to the 27 players who will head to Taupo.
Thirteen players who are aligned to Southland lined up on Saturday for the Highlanders U20s team.
Included were prop Thomas Jennings and first five eighth Mika Muliaina who are in their first year out of Southland Boys’ High School.
The pair haven’t yet played a senior game of club rugby and on Saturday found themselves lining up against a group of NPC players - or at least fringe NPC players.
“They will learn a lot from that,” Eade said.
“It probably just reinforces that - yep - first XV rugby is a good level of rugby but when you are playing men - especially around the combat side - it’s a different kettle of fish. But they equipped themselves,” Eade said.
“Mika built into it, but again it’s just that time in the saddle playing against men and being able to run a game and being assertive with his comms.
“Thomas Jennings, he had a go against a couple of big units in the Otago side that have played a bit of men’s footy and held a good account of himself.
Looseforward Gregor Rutledge is expected to be a key figure for the Highlanders U20s setup this year. The Southlander started Saturday’s preseason game off the bench and impressed when he came on.
Another notable Southland connection is Stags second five-eighth Tayne Harvey who got through close to 50 minutes on Saturday and provided the Highlanders with some go forward.
In a positive note wing Josh Augustine played his first game on Saturday since breaking his leg playing for Southland U19 against Otago U19 last year.
There was some doubt as to whether he would make it back in time for the Highlanders U20s campaign but Augustine got through 30 minutes on Saturday in his return.
“As you expect, he was ironing out a bit of rust but he did some good things. I just said to him at the end; ‘welcome back, and it’s good to see you back out there’.
“He has worked really hard the last two or three months to get himself back to this point. He did well to get through 30 [minutes] this week and hopefully he can go up another gear next week.”
Southland’s Super Rugby presence…
With the risk of coming across as a bit lazy here for not doing the research myself, here’s a question for you rugby trainspotters.
Before Friday night, when was the last time the Southland Stags had six players involved in a single Super Rugby fixture?
That was the number who took to the field in the Highlanders-Moana Pasifika fixture which the Highlanders won 31-29.
Mitchell Dunshea, Sean Withy, and Michael Manson started for the Highlanders, while frontrowers Ethan de Groot and Jack Taylor came off the bench.
Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa also got his second straight start for Moana Pasifika at No 8 and he capped it off with a nice try from an Ardie Savea pass off a set tap play.
The increased Southland presence - particularly with the opportunities Manson and Tupou Ta’eiloa are now getting - is significant for Southland.
Manson started on the wing for the Highlanders in round one before being left out of the 23 for the round two game against the Blues.
He initially wasn’t named for the Moana Pasifika outing but a quad injury to Finn Hurley meant he was called in to start on Friday night.