The gruelling preseason Manson will never forget
“We got tested with that at the end of a big week of training. I think it was equivalent of playing 16 games in one week. That's how big our training load was."
Michael Manson is only months into his time as a fulltime Super Rugby player and he already feels there’s been improvements in his game.
The electric Southland Stags wing joined the Highlanders in November to prepare for his first season of Super Rugby.
Stags coach Matt Saunders has previously stressed Southland needs to get more players into fulltime Super Rugby environments to help take their games to another level.
Manson already has seen benefits in his own development in his few months with the Highlanders.
“For sure. We're under microscope pretty much from the coaches. So, if there's anywhere you can improve, they don't necessarily come to you with the feedback, you can go find it. Everyone's just wanting to be better.
“It’s not just the coaches that are helping you to become better, it's the players as well. Everyone just wants the best for everyone,” Manson told The Roar Podcast.
There are various aspects of Manson’s game that he has been working on, including getting more involved, rather than simply sticking to his sublime pace out wide.
He feels he has built the aerobic capacity through preseason to be able to lift that work rate and get more involved.
Defence has been another area of focus for Manson, and he has had a mastermind to tap into on that front in the form of former All Black Ben Smith.
“Working with Ben Smith, he's one of the best in the business, and he's got that many particular nuggets that you can learn off. It takes your game to a level when you're exposed to that sort of coaching all the time,” Manson said.
“I really enjoy his coaching style. It's black and white and he'll tell you exactly how it is. There's no guessing game.
“He's got a really good coaching approach, if it's on it’s on. He's not going to get at you if you make a mistake, but you've got the right mindset.”
After signing with the Highlanders Manson had plenty of tales relayed to him about past gruelling Jamie Joseph preseasons at the Highlanders.
As the preseason campaign comes to an end Manson says it has certainly lived up to that hype, given how hard they have been put to work - fitness wise.
“Probably one that's going to stick with me for probably the rest of my life is the bread and butters. All part of the game, getting on and off the ground.
“We got tested with that at the end of a big week of training. I think it was equivalent of playing 16 games in one week. That's how big our training load was.
“And then at the end of the training, the whistle goes, and we get told to get on the line. We didn't know what we're doing and just the anxiety.
“Then they said, right, you're going five metres down up and you do that 10 times. And we're like, okay. So we started and the boys hissed out the gate and it just didn't seem to stop.
“We ended up doing 12 rounds, so we did 120 down-ups. Yeah, that's definitely the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It was full on,” Manson said.
Manson started on the wing in the Highlanders’ 26-21 preseason win over Moana Pasifika last Friday.
He ended up scoring the match-winning try after sparking an attacking movement with a chip and chase in what turned out to be the last play of the game.
“Looking back at it now, if that didn't bounce up, I probably would not been playing this week, but lucky I had a good bounce.”
Manson will be back in action for the Highlanders on Waitangi Day when he comes off the bench in the final preseason outing against the Crusaders.
The added bonus is the game is being played at Rugby Park in Invercargill - a ground he knows well given his exploits for the Stags at NPC level.
“It's always a good day when you get a run on Rugby Park,” Manson said.
Thursday’s game will kick-off at 2.30pm.
THE TEAMS
Highlanders: Sam Gilbert, Caleb Tangitau, Tanielau Tele’a, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Jona Nareki, Cameron Millar, Folau Fakatava, Hugh Renton (cc), Veveni Lasaqa, TK Howden, Mitchell Dunshea, Fabian Holland, Saula Ma’u, Soane Vikena, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Henry Bell, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Sefo Kautai, Josh Tengblad, Lui Naeata, Sean Withy, Nikora Broughton, Nathan Hastie, Taine Robinson, Jake Te Hiwi, Michael Manson, Finn Hurley.
Crusaders: Will Jordan, Chay Fihaki, Dallas McLeod, David Havilii, Sevu Reece, Taha Kemara, Noah Hotham, Christian Lio-Willie, Ethan Blackadder, Cullen Grace, Antonio Shalfoon, Tahlor Cahill, Fletcher Newell, George Bell, Tamati Williams. Reserves: George Bower, Ioane Moananu, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Liam Jack, Hunter Morrison, Xavier Saifoloi, Tom Christie, Corey Kellow, Kyle Preston, James O’Connor, Macca Springer, Toby Bell, Levi Amua, Maloni Kunawave.