Disruptive week for Highlanders
IT has been a disrupted week for the Highlanders but now it becomes just about the men on the paddock.
No head coach, All Blacks coming and going, players missing; the Highlanders have been all over the place this week as they prepare to take on the Reds in Brisbane tonight.
For a side that prides itself so much in having a wellthoughtout and detailed week of preparation, it has not been plain sailing.
But as has become the cliche of late, it is what it is, and the Highlanders have to just get out and beat the Reds tonight at a venue where they have not won for more than a decade.
Highlanders captain Ash Dixon, who will be without his cocaptain Ben Smith this week, said the side knew it was going to be something of a mucky week.
‘‘We knew at the start of the year this would play out and we have had to deal with it. We have had some new guys come in and lead and they have benefited from that,’’ Dixon said.
Head coach Aaron Mauger had gone back to Christchurch for family reasons last Sunday and would not return for the game.
Mark Hammett has taken over as head coach and Dixon said though Mauger was not there, his energy was still with the team.
The side had a close look at its disappointing loss to the Waratahs last week and was not happy with what it saw.
The ball handling was average, Dixon said, and the side was still striving to play a complete game.
‘‘The execution has not been good and that can be for a whole lot of reasons. We just understand we are not playing the best footy we can play. We are against a pretty determined Reds team.’’
Dixon admitted it felt a bit strange for him without Smith and his hooking rival Liam Coltman — both on All Black rest — but the hooker and the side just had to get on with it and push each other.
Both sides have had far from ideal buildups. The Highlanders have had plenty of
changes while the Reds have been rocked by the suspension of former skipper James Slipper for cocaine use.
Dixon said Slipper’s suspension should highly motivate the Reds and they would play a direct game.
All of a sudden, this game has become vital for the Highlanders. The poor performance against the Waratahs gave other sides around them a sniff and their next three games are all against New Zealand sides, so a hattrick of victories will be tough.
The team has to play way better than it did last week and be more accurate. It has been living off scraps of possession and that simply will not last the rest of the season. Teams are getting better and more ruthless and defence can only go so far.
The return of Liam Squire and Richard Buckman, albeit from the reserves bench, should be a boost to the side and Squire will be itching for a crack.
The weather forecast is for partly cloudy conditions.
Otago Boys’ High School First XV is scheduled to play the curtainraiser to the game, taking on Brisbane Boys’ College.
THERE is no underestimating the importance of this victory for the Crusaders over the Hurricanes in perfect conditions for them in Christchurch last night.
On a cold and very wet evening at AMI Stadium, the Crusaders went a long way to qualifying for a potential home final.
They did it with relative ease against one of the most dangerous sides in the competition, one that has won its last 10 games in a row, despite being severely undermanned.
No Joe Moody and Owen Franks due to suspension, and no Sam Whitelock, Jordan Taufua or Ryan Crotty due to injury. It was no problem for Scott Robertson’s men, even though they lost mid fielder Tim Bateman to a hamstring injury and loose forward Pete Samu to a head knock in the first half.
To compound matters they then lost wing replacement Braydon Ennor, but still they thrived in the miserable conditions and not only because of their pack, although that was a big part of it.
It was not a night for expansive play, and that counted against a Hurricanes backline with firepower all over the shop. It was a night for the big men to smash each other and make gains by the centimetre and it was here the Crusaders won it. — NZME
Crusaders 24 (Scott Barrett, Michael Alaalatoa, Heiden BedwellCurtis tries; Richie Mo’unga 3 conversions, penalty)
Hurricanes 13 (Reed Princep try; Jordie Barrett pen, Beauden Barrett conversion, penalty). Halftime: 76.