Brown keen to get first hitout
AT long last it is time to play.
After six weeks of hard slog and many hours on the training field, the feeling of getting out and doing what one is paid for awaits the Highlanders today.
The Tony Brown head coaching era gets under way in the small central Canterbury town of Darfield this afternoon.
The Highlanders take on the Crusaders in the first warmup game of the season.
The side has been waiting for it, although it is very much a couple of below full strength teams lining up.
In fact you could argue only one of the starting Highlanders players — Tom Franklin — would make a firstchoice Highlanders starting side.
But that does not make the game a waste of time. Squad depth is allimportant in a gruelling competition like Super Rugby and it is a chance for the new players to get a first hitout in the jersey.
One does not have to look back too far to realise a good preseason can go a long way.
Brown is looking forward to the match and what comes out of it.
‘‘All the guys are looking forward to having a bit of a hitout. Giving themselves a bit of con tact for the first time this year,’’ Brown said.
‘‘The boys have been working pretty hard on their conditioning, strength and power, and doing a bit of stuff on our game. We just need to put that all together under pressure, challenging ourselves I guess.’’
‘‘Results always matter. We are going out there to play well and if you do that then the results usually go your way.’’
James Lentjes gets first crack on the openside flank which is shaping up as a big battle to get the starting berth for the first game. Shane Christie and Dan Pryor will not front for this game, so Lentjes has a chance.
The Taieri man was excellent for Otago last year in the Mitre 10 Cup and will want to transfer that form to the next level.
The match will be played at the Darfield Rugby Club and it should be a hard and fast track.
The game is a world away from the Highlanders’ opening preseason game last year, when the side travelled to Hong Kong to play French side Racing 92.
Referees Mike Fraser and Jamie Nutbrown will get a half each to be prepared for the season ahead.