Highlanders must learn from double defeats
Anyone who thinks the Highlanders’ coaching staff has been trudging around the team’s headquarters with faces like dropped pies would be wrong.
Sure, consecutive losses to the Hurricanes and Chiefs leading into last week’s bye week were tough to swallow, head coach Aaron Mauger conceded.
Then there’s the fact they’ve had both their bye weeks before the competition even reaches the halfway mark. Good luck spotting Mauger and assistants Mark Hammett and Glenn Delaney toasting that.
But with a chance to improve their 3-2 record with a home match against the Brumbies in Dunedin on Saturday, things aren’t so bad for the fourth-placed side in the New Zealand conference.
‘‘That’s important for us, to keep perspective there. Losses can really dictate a mood and put a sour note on things,’’ Mauger said.
‘‘It’s certainly pretty bitter for us to take those when we know we’re good enough to win both of those games. That’s key for us, that we keep perspective and acknowledge the things that we are doing well, as well.’’
That doesn’t include the team’s lineout, which faltered twice in the waning moments of the Highlanders’ 27-22 loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton a fortnight ago.
It followed a clumsy knock-on with the try line begging. All three blunders cost them the chance to step up and snatch the game at the death. ‘‘It’s a tough old competition, isn’t it? Mauger said. ‘‘We Highlanders v Brumbies: Saturday, 7.35pm, Dunedin Referee: Mike Fraser. TAB odds: Highlanders: $1.12, Brumbies $5.85
Ben Smith (co-captain), Waisake Naholo, Rob Thompson, Tei Walden, Tevita Li, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock, Dillon Hunt, Shannon Frizell, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Siate Tokolahi, Liam Coltman, Daniel Lienert-Brown. Ash Dixon (co-captain), Aki Seiuli, Kalolo Tuiloma, Alex Ainley, Elliot Dixon, Kayne Hammington, Fletcher Smith, Matt Faddes.
Tom Banks, James Dargaville, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Chance Peni, Wharenui Hawera, Matt Lucas, Isi Naisarani, David Pocock, Tom Cusack, Blake Enever, Rory Arnold, Allan Alaalatoa, Folau Fainga’a, Scott Sio. Robbie Abel, Nic Mayhew, Leslie LeuluaialiiMakin, Sam Carter, Michael Oakman-Hunt, Joe Powell, Kyle Godwin, Andrew Smith. had a couple of good learnings through our last two performances before we went into our bye, and we had a good chance to reflect on those.
‘‘There was a couple of key parts of our game that we didn’t quite nail against two good New Zealand teams and that resulted in a difference in terms of the outcome.
‘‘It’s not a massive one, but we’ve got to take the learnings because it’s happened two weeks in a row.’’ While there was improvement against the Chiefs, another area Mauger wants to see his side perform better in against the Brumbies is territory.
He knows if they get it wrong against a side armed with ace openside flanker David Pocock, and which likes to use their set piece to launch rolling-mauls inside the opposition’s 22, the 33-match winning streak Kiwi teams hold against Australian sides could be in threat.
‘‘[Winning territory] is a bit of a mixture of everything,’’ Mauger said. ‘‘Where some of our strengths are, and if you’re a team against us you’ll have certain plans.
‘‘I think the Chiefs and the Hurricanes executed those plans really well and we didn’t nail ours as well as we could have . . . if we manage to nail a couple of those territory battles, we’ve proven when we get down the right part of the field we can score points too.’’
Saturday marks the Highlanders’ final home game before they hit the road for away matches against the Blues, Bulls and Sharks.
Most people aren’t giving the Brumbies a sniff of extending the Highlanders’ losing skid to three matches, but Mauger has seen enough evidence since Pocock returned from injury a fortnight ago to have his guard up.
‘‘He’s one of those guys who really inspires his teammates through his actions. He’s tough, he’s in everything and he’s really committed. He’s going to be really important for them and their performance, especially around the breakdown.
How we deal with that is going to be critical for us, and I’m sure will have an influence in the game.’’