Bye ‘not ideal’ for Highlanders
YOU can hardly blame Rob Thompson for resenting the timing of his team’s first bye week after what he did on Friday night.
Playing centre for the first time since a club rugby match in Palmerston North in 2012, the 26-year-old scored two tries and setup another on his way to a man of the match performance in his team’s 41-34 win against the Blues in Dunedin.
However, he’ll have to wait a fortnight to get another run as the Highlanders sit idle next week.
They’ll then play just four more games before burning up their other one.
Both Thompson and Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger said the team would much rather be playing next week, although don’t expect the team to take a week off.
‘‘It’s not ideal,’’ Mauger said. ‘‘We’ve got two byes in the first seven rounds, but it is what it is and we’re aware of those things going into the competition.
‘‘So we’ll take the bye week to address some of the learnings we found out [on Friday], and it’s also a chance to freshen up.’’
One area Mauger wants to address ahead of the Highlanders’ round three match against the Stormers in Dunedin on March 9 is their exit plays.
They got it wrong a couple of times - once when an Aaron Smith box kick was scooped up by Michael Collins and it led to an Akira Ioane try - and were promptly opened up.
‘‘I guess just keep the hard work up, we’ll go back and review,’’ Thompson said when asked how his team would avoid losing momentum from their opening round win.
‘‘We can’t take the foot off, you can’t get comfortable, it’s only round one. The Stormers are going to come over, and the Crusaders.’’
Thompson, who appears leaner and faster than in his previous two years with the Highlanders, didn’t miss a beat wearing the No 13 jersey for the first time in six years.
Having played most of his professional rugby at second-five, Thompson credited Mauger, who previously coached him at Christchurch club High School Old Boys, for priming him and the team.
‘‘We really front-loaded the week. We’ve probably worked the hardest since I’ve been at the club, as far as detail and individual skill-set, and that’s what it came down to.’’ he said.
‘‘On Monday, we really slow things down and get to a walking pace so we know where each and every individual is meant to be. Book work, a lot of book work and micro units. I’ll spend a lot of time with Tei [Walden] throughout the DIANNE MANSON/GETTY week and Azza [Mauger] really drives the locks to go away and have lock meetings and do skillsets with each other.’’
Thompson admitted he’d shed some weight over the off-season and worked hard to increase his speed, something which paid off when he latched on to a Tom Franklin inside ball and bolted 45m to score on Friday night.
After surprising a few people by opting to start Walden and Thompson in the midfield, Mauger hailed their performances as ‘‘outstanding’’ against the Blues.
Meanwhile, the first-year coach at the franchise hasn’t penciled in which games - each must sit out at least two matches - his All Blacks will miss this season.
‘‘No, not at all. We’re just focussed on the next couple of games. Those things tend to work themselves out, guys get injured and things happen,’’ Mauger said. GETTY IMAGES and I’ve been doing it for 12 years.
‘‘There’s not a lot of things harder than sitting there for 70 minutes.’’
Rookie coach Brad Thorn said he believed referee Brendon Pickerill was trying his best, but felt it was a ‘‘big call’’ with 70 minutes to play.
To add to the Reds’ woes SANZAAR yesterday cited Tui for his dangerous throw on Genia, meaning they could be without the young Wallabies lock for Friday’s game against the Brumbies in Brisbane.
Centres Duncan Paia’aua and Samu Kerevi both crossed for early tries, while wing Chris Feauai-Sautia added one in the second half.
But they ran out of steam after having to defend for so long a man down as the Rebels grew in stature.
Thorn said there was still a lot to like.
‘‘They worked really hard in defence, but our composure and ball control got tested.
‘‘They’re a young group and they fought really well, and I was quite proud of them, we just need to tidy up here and there.’’ - AAP