Analysis - Super Rugby Pacific kicks off on Friday 14 February, with one less team than last season and a whole host of things to talk about. We're once again previewing each New Zealand team, today it's the Highlanders.
READ: Moana Pasifika season preview
READ: Crusaders season preview
Overview
Photo: Sam Bauld
Broken record time: it's another rebuild year for the Highlanders. That's not just an opinion, either, as returning coach Jamie Joseph has admitted as much in preseason. It's not that last year was a total disaster for the southern men though, while they got blown out by the Rebels and Reds, they stayed in touch for most of their derby games and threw up a couple of genuine bolter options for the All Black selectors.
The good
Highlanders Timoci Tavatavanawai tackles his opposite, Moana Pasifika's Fine Inise at North Harbour Stadium on Friday in a pre-season Super Rugby Pacific clash. The Highlangers won 26-21. Photo: Highlanders
Joseph's return should at least command a lot of respect from the playing group, who will have had to get used to his hard-nosed style pretty quickly during their fitness training. Timoci Tavatavanawai could be an inspired choice as a co-captain, as it's likely that if the Highlanders are going to fire, it will be heavily based around the involvement of the big winger. Sean Withy's emergence as a real force in the loose forwards can hopefully continue, while Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens was a huge part of the positive aspects of last season.
The bad
Suliasi Vunivalu celebrates scoring a try with team mates during the Super Rugby Pacific Round 9 match between the Queensland Reds and the Highlanders at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Photo: Darren England/Photosport
As per usual, a couple of injuries could completely derail the season because the Highlanders' depth is as shallow as always. Once again, they come in with only one current All Black in Ethan de Groot, so the step up for the rest of the side against the experienced New Zealand teams will be a big one. However, the Highlanders need results not just for the team's sake, but simply to curb their reputation as a last stop for fringe players to hang out before cashing up and heading overseas.
Big boots to fill
TK Howden in action for Manawatu against Canterbury in 2020. Photo: Photosport
The biggest acquisition is probably TK Howden from the Hurricanes, while he's not exactly going to fix all their issues it's still a great chance for the 24-year-old to get the sort of game time he needs to further his career. Cam Millar is in his second season and will be looking to cement his spot as the team's first five for the next few seasons.
What they're saying
"I think we need to be better to win Super Rugby games. It's a rebuild yearfor us, we lost a lot of players and got a lot of new players - our average age is 22. So there'll be some teetyhing problems, but we've got a really good group of young men who want to be good rugby players andwe really want to be a good team. It's going to be an up and down season." - Jamie Joseph.
Fan critique
Highlanders fans. Photo: Blake Armstrong/Photosport
Last year's fan critique edition really touched a nerve with the people of Dunedin, who were surprisingly the most vocal respondents to the observations about their town. It's almost certainly because they're still in denial about the Highlanders' only championship coming off the back of the friendliest TMO call in the history of the game, but it's worth reminding them that they live in a region that, when faced with the prospect of returning to it, Keith Murdoch instead decided to disappear into the Australian outback. It's about time the Highlanders faced facts, embraced the Antlers Up mentality and shift more games south to Invercargill's Rugby Park ground that bizarrely has the country's only asymmetrical main stand - but was still rammed for a preseason match last weekend.
Big games
Most games are pretty crucial for the Highlanders, but they have a good chance to make a statement with a trip to Sydney against the Waratahs in round one. They'll also be circling the two matches against Moana Pasifika in round three and 11 as must wins, but have a very tough three matches to finish, against the Hurricanes, Crusaders and Chiefs.
Highlanders 2025 squad
Forwards: Ethan de Groot, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma'u, Rohan Wingham, Sosefo Kautai, Henry Bell, Jack Taylor, Soane Vikena, Will Stodart, Fabian Holland, Mitch Dunshea, Oliver Haig, Sean Withy, Lui Naeata, Hayden Michaels, Hugh Renton, Nikora Broughton, Josh Bartlett, Veveni Lasaqa, Te Kamaka Howden, Tom Sanders
Backs: Folau Fakatava, Nathan Hastie, Cameron Millar, Ajay Faleafaga, Jake Te Hiwi, Thomas Umaga Jensen, Tanielu Tele'a, Jona Nareki, Sam Gilbert, Taine Robinson, Caleb Tangitau, Jonah Lowe, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Finn Hurley, James Arscott, Josh Whaanga, Michael Manson, Josh Timu
Tomorrow we look at Super Rugby's historic heartbreak kids, the Hurricanes.
