Highlanders
49
Match Complete
NSW Waratahs
12
| E. Dixon |  | 81 | ||
| R. Thompson |  | 79 | ||
| 71 | | M. Mason | ||
| J. Ioane | | 40 | ||
| T. Walden | | 38 | ||
| 34 | |||
| 28 | | M. Mason | ||
| 27 | | A. Newsome | ||
| J. Ioane | | 24 | ||
| W. Naholo | | 23 | ||
| J. Ioane | | 19 | ||
| T. Franklin | | 18 | ||
| J. Ioane | | 11 | ||
| T. Li | | 9 | ||
| J. Ioane | | 8 | ||
| J. McKay | | 7 |
| 7 | Tries | 2 | ||
| 6 | Conversions | 1 | ||
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 0 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
The Highlanders and Waratahs will go head to head in Invercargill on Friday to kick off the final round of the Super Rugby regular season.
Both sides still have the faintest sniff of Finals rugby but neither side has their fate totally in their own hands – a fact that will disappoint both sets of coaches and fans given the potential in their teams.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of this exciting match starting from 5:35pm AEST on Friday.
Now if you’ve been paying attention you’ll have noticed that this final round of the regular season requires a degree in quantum mechanics and a lot of patience when you try and figure out which team needs to do what in order to make the finals.
For these two teams it is actually very simple – they both need to win this game and win big. That’s not to say that a bonus point win gets them into the finals – not at all.
But given that they only stand a chance of extending their season if they walk off the field with that bonus point win in the bag before the rest of the round’s matches takes place – it does make it straightforward.
So let’s hope that we see some great open, attacking rugby where both sides go for broke from the outset.
Unfortunately for the Highlanders, winning bonus points have not been their speciality this season. They’ve only got one and that was against the Sunwolves.
Add to this fact that this final regular season game is in the open – and very wet – air of Invercargill and that the home side will be missing Ben Smith and the task to score lots of tries becomes harder and harder.
However there are some things in their favour. Firstly, if it is a wet game then they are going to want their forwards to fire and some of the front men are in great form including Liam Coltman and Jackson Hemopo and the returning Liam Squire will be a great addition.
Secondly, their opponents are coming into town with some serious firepower and experience missing. Whether it’s a good strategy or a bad one, the Tahs have left it until the final round to give their Wallabies their agreed rest round.
This means that the Tahs will be missing captain Michael Hooper, full back Kurtley Beale, flyhalf Bernard Foley and key forwards Rob Simmons and Sekope Kepu. That is a lot of talent from all over the field that won’t be there.
The Tahs are going to need a very good game from Nick Phipps who will need to bring both control and enthusiasm to the team.
Equally the inexperienced back three of NSW are going to need to be on top form – they are likely to be peppered with kicks and high balls by Aaron Smith and Josh Ioane and the slippery conditions will make it even more challenging.
On the upside for the Tahs, there are a lot of new players in the side who will know this is a great opportunity to impress and get lots of game time.
Prediction
Both sides know that they have to score lots of tries – it’s very simple.
The conditions look like they won’t lend themselves to an open game and so both sides will rely upon their packs and their halves to establish dominance in the first half.
As a result the Highlanders are in the driving seat and should pick up the win to help Liam Coltman celebrate his 100th game for the club.
Highlanders by 10.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of this exciting match starting from 5:35pm AEST on Friday.
Where: Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
Date: Friday 14th June 2019
When: Kick off 5:35pm AEST
TV: Fox Sports
Betting: Highlanders $1.05, Waratahs $10
Highlanders
15 Josh McKay
14 Waisake Naholo
13 Rob Thompson
12 Teihorangi Walden
11 Tevita Li
10 Josh Ioane
9 Aaron Smith
8 Luke Whitelock (c)
7 James Lentjes
6 Liam Squire
5 Tom Franklin
4 Jackson Hemopo
3 Tyrel Lomax
2 Liam Coltman
1 Ayden Johnstone
Replacements
16 Ash Dixon
17 Daniel Lienert-Brown
18 Siate Tokolahi
19 Josh Dickson
20 Shannon Frizell
21 Kayne Hammington
22 Marty Banks
23 Elliot Dixon
Waratahs
15 Alex Newsome
14 Cam Clark
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
12 Lalakai Foketi
11 Curtis Rona
10 Mack Mason
9 Nick Phipps (c)
8 Michael Wells
7 Will Miller
6 Hugh Sinclair
5 Tom Staniforth
4 Ned Hanigan
3 Tom Robertson
2 Damien Fitzpatrick
1 Harry Johnson-Holmes
Replacements
16 Andrew Tuala
17 Rory O’Connor
18 Shambeckler Vui
19 Ryan McCauley
20 Jed Holloway
21 Jack Dempsey
22 Jake Gordon
23 Tautalatasi Tasi
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref: Brendon Pickerill, James Munro
TMO: Glenn Newman
2019 Form (last 5 games)
Highlanders – DWLLD
Waratahs – LWLWL
Played 24
Highlanders won 9
Waratahs won 15
Olly
Roar Rookie
Australian Rugby is strong when at least one team is strong, not because the Reds are strong. The Reds are a second rate team but they are a young team of new players and have shown improvement this season (only dreamers think the Reds could be at the top of the table this year). NSW is always and is still today full of "Wallabies" and experienced players but year on year they play the same rubbish rugby...still not delivering and only make the finals on default. They need to change and the Wallabies team needs to be as far away from NSW as possible or we are going to keep serving up the same rubbish as we have been. Change is needed and the results of the Rebels and NSW this season should be enough to make this happen. Both teams have only won one game outside of the Australian Conference while the Reds and Brumbies have had far greater success against NZ and SA teams. Think about it, what teams/players do we play against at Wallabies level?
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
I think you need to look within. The reds have been far behind the brumbies and waratahs in terms of super rugby performance both in recent years and throughout the entire competition. Australian rugby is strong when Queensland rugby is strong, the underperformance of the reds is dragging us all down.
Olly
Roar Rookie
I do and will continue enjoying it until I see change at the Tahs who are consistently the most underperforming team in Australia. If more then one player (Hooper) from NSW makes the game day Wallabies then I consider it a disgrace.
Clifto
Roar Pro
Neel - it's worse than that. Gibson has already had his contract extended through end of 2020. The mind boggles...
Neel
Roar Guru
Another disappointing season for the Waratahs. I would be surprised if Gibson stays after three years of underachieving. As for the Highlanders, they were clinical. Hopefully they make it and there will be 4 Kiwi teams in the playoffs.
Clifto
Roar Pro
I knew it was going to be another poor night from the Tahs when in the opening 5 minutes, the Tahs were on attack in a promising position. What does Newsome do? Kick a low percentage grubber straight to their fullback, giving away possession and showing a lack of confidence in their attack. As the Rebels also failed to comprehend vs the Chiefs, you do NOT beat good Kiwi teams by giving them the ball back and squandering attacking opportunities through a low percentage and badly executed kicking game. God help us... the amount of grey matter going around in Australian rugby at the moment is a massive concern. Go the Brums. By far the most consistent and considered Aussie SR team.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
I think the solution is to cut some more of our best players for breaching whatever moral code raelene and alan decide to come up with next. Australian rugby has gone from strength to strength since the last one.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Yes they have. You take delight in the tahs being rubbish. I am saddened that the reds are just as bad.
Mocko
Guest
Back to the gym and some beeep tests, boys. Bring back the so called amateurs in the early 90s as these professionals look rubbish
Olly
Roar Rookie
They have been rubbish all season....a good last game does nothing for Australian rugby.
Istanbul Wingman
Roar Guru
Otago are out if the Lions get a bonus? Works for me. I'd rather see 3 NZ & 3 SA teams join the ACT & Jags than 4 NZ & 2 SA teams. But can the Lions get a bonus???
Redbeard
Roar Rookie
Well done Highlanders. Another typical result from an Oz “champion” team. One wonders how poor Oz teams have to get before someone from that called RA realises that there is something systemically wrong with Ozzie rugby. …………….. Fall on your sword RAelene and take the Board with you!
Germán
Roar Rookie
With the Chiefs BP whipping the Rebels, they leapfrog the 'landers by wins total. If the Lions get 1 point they are out.
Fiddlestix
Guest
Poor waratahs! Crap as ever! Any inclusive replacements Raelene or Alan? Maybe you two could step up training & be the X factors for the wallatahs next year?
Phantom
Roar Rookie
Nothing but an embarrassment for the Waratahs
Gavin
Guest
“Several years”. More like a lifetime.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Nah I'm the tahs fan who cheers for the reds and the rebels and the brumbies because he knows that strong Aussie sides makes for a better spectacle and leads to a better wallabies. Tribalism is petty and divisive.
Istanbul Wingman
Roar Guru
Otago look good for a semis spot now? I tipped them to sneak in. The 2 South African derbies will likely eliminate 2 of the remaining teams, while the Rebels - Chiefs encounter should remove another from the equation.
Lee Byron
Roar Rookie
Tahs need overhaul from top down. Irae Simone discarded and now playing consistently for Brumbies. Same as Pete Samu. Are tahs not confident in their development system?
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Unless they get injured. The reality is that it was a good policy, but appalling coaching by Gibson. It was an excuse to rest them mid-season, or make them avoid an overseas trip, not miss the last game before they have a month off.