Highlanders back to work
THE march to the 2019 Highlanders season starts today and for some of the players the focus will be on getting bigger and stronger.
The franchise will have 25 players report in today as the preseason programme starts.
The side’s Maori All Blacks will not join training until the start of next year while its All Blacks, who were on the northern tour, will not link with the squad until January 28 and will not play the two preseason games. But, barring injury, every member of the 38man squad should be available for the first game of the season against the Chiefs in Hamilton on February 15, which is 78 days away.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger said the three weeks before Christmas was important for the whole season.
‘‘The key focus for us is setting a really good physical foundation and base and make sure we are in really good shape,’’ he said.
‘It’s about getting down into the detail of our game with a heavy emphasis on skill set for the younger players and learning the game so when the more
senior players come back in the younger players can lead the way.’’
Mauger said many players would be on physical programmes detailed to their individual needs.
‘‘We need them to put on a little bit of weight. With some of our guys we just need to expand
their capacity so in those highpressure moments they stay in the fight.’’
He said some of the forwards had the ability to put on a few extra kilograms. In a couple of games last season the bigger sides had won the battle against the Highlanders, Mauger said, so they needed to get bigger.
He said this was done through hard work in the gym and eating the right foods.
Team nutritionist Fiona Simpson was an unsung hero for the team.
‘‘What we don’t want to do is compromise our game where we move the ball at speed and look to run other teams round.
But we do have to get guys ready for the physical battle.’’
All Black loose forward Shannon Frizell will report today after missing the endofyear tour because of a shoulder injury.
Mauger said after a busy first year as a professional player, Frizell needed a rest and had a shoulder niggle which required an injection. It had settled down and he was expected to be fine for the season, though he would not be straight into contact work.
The team did not have any other serious injuries apart from some minor niggles.
Prop Daniel LienertBrown had picked up a suspension from a Mitre 10 Cup game and would not play in the two preseason games.
With All Black coach Steve Hansen’s future up in the air, Mauger was asked whether he would throw his hat in the ring to be the next national coach.
‘‘My focus is 100% on the Highlanders. I feel like we are building something here that is really exciting. I’ve given no consideration to any other job.’’
FORMER international netball umpire Jono Bredin has continued his climb up the refereeing ranks in the oval ball code.
Bredin was announced yesterday as a new member of the national referee squad.
Another promising Dunedin referee, Stu Curran, has also been appointed to the 34strong squad.
The duo join Nick Webster, from North Otago, and James Doleman, of Dunedin, in the squad, which will referee Super Rugby — professional referees only, the Mitre 10 Cup, the Heartland Championship, the Farah Palmer Cup, the Jock Hobbs Memorial national under19 tournament and other domestic fixtures.
Another referee picked is former North Otago first fiveeighth Daniel Waenga. Waenga (34) was playing in France three years ago and has made a swift rise up the ranks.
Bredin, who was New Zealand Netball’s umpire of the year in 2015 and 2016 and took charge of the 2018 Commonwealth Games netball gold medal match, said he was looking forward to his new challenge.
‘‘I’ve had a great netball umpiring career and signed off at the top this year with the gold medal match and premiership final. I achieved everything I wanted to in the sport and have decided now is the time to throw all my effort into rugby refereeing and challenge myself outside of my comfort zone,’’ he said in a statement.
Bredin said he was encouraged to try rugby three years ago by Wellingtonbased professional rugby referee Ben O’Keeffe.
‘‘I worked closely with Ben when I was umpiring. We did some training sessions together to share ideas and he encouraged me to have a crack at rugby. So far I’ve been struck by how helpful and accepting everyone is and how keen they are to help. The plan is to repay some of that faith.’’
Returning to the squad for 2019 are professional referees Glen Jackson, Nick Briant, Mike Fraser, O’Keeffe, Paul Williams and Brendon Pickerill. They will vie for potential selection for next year’s World Cup.
Sevens rugbyspecialists Richard Kelly and Doleman are set to feature heavily in the World Rugby sevens series this season, as well as Lauren Jenner, who has been appointed for the World Rugby sevens series for the first time.