FIJIAN DUO KEEN TO SPARK HIGHLANDERS CAMPAIGN
The inclusion of Vilimoni Koroi into the Highlanders squad has been welcomed by fellow Fijian winger Jona Nareki. The pair who played for the New Zealand 7s team have known each other since they were toddlers and have an uncanny ability to read other’s play.
And, when Nareki enjoyed a strong start to his own Super Rugby career this year, Koroi was flicking him messages offering encouragement.
Nareki was delighted with Koroi’s early arrival (he was already due to join the Highlanders in 2021 on a three-year deal).
LEARN
They are eager to learn from Nehe Milner-Skudder.
He has a wealth of experience that Koroi can tap into. Milner-Skudder comes across as one of the game’s most humble but intelligent characters, and his role at the Highlanders will surely extend beyond the paddock.
He may not be actively seeking a formal leadership role but his advice to Koroi in areas such as positioning and reading the play will be invaluable.
Initially, at least, Koroi could be used a bench weapon. But the Highlanders failed to settle on a back three in the early part of the year and there are high hopes Koroi can bring the sort of X-factor that can help them take their game up a level.
Milner-Skudder missed the entire 2019 Super Rugby season and hasn’t been seen since the All Blacks’ win against Japan in late 2018.
That’s a long time between drinks and it’s probably unrealistic to expect the 29-year-old to make a significant impact during Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Tellingly, perhaps, the Highlanders said he was still rehabbing his shoulder injury “with a view to getting back on the field this year”. That implies he won’t be available for the start of the revised Super Rugby campaign this weekend and the Highlanders may take a safetyfirst approach with Milner-Skudder.
WIZARD
The Manawatu wizard Koroi is a man of vast talent, but he won’t be close to his sharpest after a long time out and must have lingering doubts about how his shoulder is going to hold up in contact. Conditioning shouldn’t be a problem for Koroi, who spent the first part of the year in the NZ Sevens team.
Koroi has proven pedigree in that format but his campaign for Otago in last year’s Mitre 10 Cup indicated he could also have a big future in the 15-man game.
Speed-wise, his good friend and Highlanders wing Nareki told Stuff last year that Koroi was the fastest of the pair– and Nareki is no slouch.
Koroi played at No 10, No 14 and No 15 in the Mitre 10 Cup, but Otago captain Michael Collins felt he was probably going to end up at fullback, where he enjoyed a bit more space.
Former Otago coach Ben Herring’s decision to move Koroi into the No 10 jersey at the start of last year’s Mitre 10 Cup season, a move that raised a few eyebrows in the deep south at the time, was a mini masterstroke.
It forced Koroi to take more responsibility for the running of the game plan and probably accelerated his development.
Indeed, it was telling that when you popped along to an Otago captain’s run Koroi would be busy working on his goalkicking with All Black Josh Ioane.
FIXTURES
Saturday- 5.15pm Highlanders v Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin; Sunday- 3.05pm Blues v Hurricanes at Eden Park, Auckland. Crusaders on bye.