Highlanders looking for accuracy
THE best teams show consistency.
Week in, week out the top sides do the basics well, take the chances which come along and play the percentages.
Going by that guide not one team is consistent in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
The Blues are patchy, the Chiefs the same. The Hurricanes cannot string five minutes together, let alone 80, while the Crusaders are well away from their best.
So the Highlanders? Much the same as the aforementioned.
The team reached the top, or near the top, with what it wanted to do with a win over the Crusaders two weeks ago.
But it dropped standards last week in the depressing extratime loss to the Chiefs.
Is that the best it can do? In and out of form, never to reach the top of the mountain again?
Highlanders cocaptain Aaron Smith said reaching the top and staying there was simply the whole conundrum of highperformance sport.
‘‘I have been in plenty of teams and big games where you have a great moments and a great performance and the next week, it feels the same, looks the same and you come out and it is different,’’ Smith said.
‘‘That is where hopefully our young guys have learnt.
‘‘You have to get to that same level of intensity and mindset and detail around your own game every week.
‘‘Against the Blues, they’re a bigger team, more athletes,
very good around their own game plan, got Xfactor.
‘‘So you have got to know how does that work around me, what do I need to know? What are the keys this week that I have to do?
‘‘Especially in a shorter week you’ve got to be really smart on what you put in and put out. Got to double down on recovery . . .
‘‘It’s going to get harder as the Blues really want to make the final.’’
Smith said the side loved taking on the Blues and would have to play a lot better than earlier in the season.
At Eden Park last month, the Blues had a dominant 3917 win as the Highlanders were well below par.
Back at home — where the side is yet to win this season — the Highlanders simply have to be more accurate in all facets tonight.
The Blues play a slow, controlling, bullying type of game and set the game around the set piece and its power runners.
Smith said the side is set to make amends for its performance in Auckland.
He said the Highlanders gave away too many penalties against the Blues at Eden Park and could not get their hands on the ball.
‘‘We are a way better team than when we [last] played the Blues. But they have just come off their bye so they will be fresh.’’