Crunch time nearing for selection of next year’s Highlanders side
THE Highlanders are still confirming players for next year, but time is fast running out.
The combined transtasman Super Rugby competition with Australian teams is set to be formally announced today, and it will extend the season for the franchises well into June.
New Zealand Rugby released the draw for next year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa competition earlier in the week.
The Highlanders will kick off the season on
February 26 at
Forsyth Barr
Stadium with a match against the defending champions, the Crusaders.
Each side has two byes, and the Highlanders play six of their eight games on Friday nights.
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said a draw was simply a draw and teams just had to get on with it.
He was happy with Friday night games and said support from season ticket members appeared strong. Season tickets go on sale today.
The franchise did not have any Sunday afternoon games, which had been popular with fans, but
Clark said the draw just would not cater to a Sunday game under the roof.
The Blues wanted to play on Sundays and had bagged two matches on that day.
Though Clark could not confirm the link with Australian teams, he said more home games at the stadium were welcomed.
‘‘We’ve always said to have a sustainable business as a professional rugby club you need to have six home games.’’
Though everything was still fluid because of Covid19, the New Zealand Super Rugby sides were set to take on their counterparts from Australia, starting straight after the end of the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, with games kicking off on May 15.
This would take the competition through to the end of June and involved 13 games for sides, not including finals.
Clark said they were still working through getting players picked for next season. Teams were due to be named on December 1.
He declined to comment on what individual positions the Highlanders were looking for.
The squad would number 38 players like this season, with extra players likely to come in for those who might be looking at playing in the Olympics.
Outside backs Vilimoni Koroi and Scott Gregory have been selected in Olympic squads and may not play much part in the Highlanders campaign next year.
All Blacks are likely to be also on programmed rests, so more players may be needed in the start of the season.
The preseason match against the Crusaders will be played in Temuka on February 12, and there will be a preseason game against the Hurricanes on February 19, somewhere in Central Otago.
Applications close for the side’s defence coach today; Clark said there had been plenty of applications from around globe.
Applicants would be shortlisted and interviews would start soon — the ability to get people to New Zealand and through quarantine may come into the equation, as the start of the season is coming quickly.
The team will assemble on January 7 to begin preseason work.