Whitelock primed for a big night in Sydney
When Luke Whitelock arrived in the south in 2016, the pulses of Highlanders’ fans were hardly racing.
Whitelock was seen as steady if not spectacular; a reliable player without much glamour.
But his stocks have risen in the past three seasons and he is now one of the first chosen.
Fresh from a week off, the 27-yearold No 8 is ready to take on the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium in Sydney tonight at 10pm.
“It was great to have a week off,” said Whitelock.
“Just a good chance to get some time off and get some rehab in, get some training in at a higher level and freshen up mentally.
“Touch wood, the body is good. You never get the chance to stop. You go from a test window to local derbies and it’s pretty intense.”
Whitelock is in a loose forward trio with Liam Squire and James Lentjes, with All Blacks Elliot Dixon and Shannon Frizell on the bench.
“It’s always been very competitive since coming down to the Highlanders. That’s only a healthy thing. You’ve got to be at the top of your game for a chance to run out there. We have great loose forwards, every spot is highly competitive.”
That competition should bring out the best in everybody.
The Highlanders will have to be at their best tonight and Whitelock is looking forward to it.
“At the end of the day, you can only control yourself. We can control what we do. We just got to give ourselves the best chance.
“This is why you play the game and we’ve given ourselves a chance at this stage of the season.
“You’ve done all the work. You just have to go out there and trust your plans, trust your processes. It’s little moments. It’s going to be tense and come down to one or two things.”
There are just six players in tonight’s starting side who also started the playoff game at Sydney in 2015: Ben and Aaron Smith, Waisake Naholo, Lima Sopoaga, James Lentjes and Liam Coltman.
Gone from that side are: Patrick Osborne ( Japan), Malakai Fekitoa (France), Richard Buckman (injured), Nasi Manu (Italy), Elliot Dixon (reserves), Mark Reddish (retired), Alex Ainley (injured), Josh Hohneck (England) and Brendon Edmonds (injured).
Highlanders: Ben Smith (cc), Waisake Naholo, Rob Thompson, Teihorangi Walden, Tevita Li, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock, James Lentjes, Liam Squire, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Tyrel Lomax, Liam Coltman, Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Ash Dixon (cc), Aki Seiuli, Kalolo Tuiloma, Shannon Frizell, Elliot Dixon, Kayne Hammington, Josh Ioane, Matt Faddes.