Friday 23rd, 7:35pm kick-off. Under the roof in Dunedin.

Blues named:

1. Alex Hodgman, 2. James Parsons, 3. Ofa Tuungafasi, 4. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 5. Scott Scrafton, 6. Glenn Preston, 7. Murphy Taramai, 8. Akira Ioane; 9. Augustine Pulu ©, 10. Bryn Gatland, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Sonny Bill Williams, 13. George Moala, 14. Matt Duffie,15. Michael Collins.

Reserves: 16. Leni Apisai, 17. Pauliasi Manu, 18. Michael Tamoaieta, 19. Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Sione Havili/Antonio Kiri Kiri, 21. Jonathan Ruru, 22. Daniel Kirkpatrick, 23. Melani Nanai.

Players not considered because of injury: Otere Black (knee), Blake Gibson (shoulder), Matt Moulds (knee), Dalton Papalii (hand), Stephen Perofeta (hand), Kara Pryor (ankle), TJ Faiane (calf), Jerome Kaino (ankle), Isaac Salmon (elbow), Jimmy Tupou (rib), Sione Mafileo (knee).


Goddamn that team is ass.

I'll fix this thread up later - maybe (but probably not).

Highlanders: Ben Smith (co-captain), Waisake Naholo, Rob Thompson, Teihorangi Walden, Tevita Li, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock, Dillon Hunt, Liam Squire, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon (co-captain), Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Liam Coltman, Aki Seiuli, Tyrel Lomax, Dan Pryor, Elliot Dixon, Kayne Hammington, Fletcher Smith, Matt Faddes.


Referee: Jamie Nutbrown (New Zealand)
Assistant Ref 1:Nick Briant (New Zealand),
Assistant Ref 2:James Doleman (New Zealand)
TMO : Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)

Those preseason injuries hurt a lot.

I have never even heard the the name Glenn Preston.

Christ that's a forward pack of no names if ever i saw one. Up to them to prove us wrong i guess (they won't though)

Not sure how I would rearrange it but Collins wouldn't be starting if I was picking. Probably Duffie to FB and Nanai to 14.

Rolls Royce centres with a clapped out rusted old engine that smells slightly of musky urine and homeless jism.

I had to Google the name and then add "rugby" to find out who he is. NZ u20s from 2012; currently playing for North Harbour. I'm OK with Taramai and Ioane at 7 and 8.

Team of the Year.

That Blues forward pack

'Gwan the Highlanders!!

Are there any major players out for the Landers? Because the Blues must be 3rd choice in about 3 positions.

Highlanders named:

Ben Smith (co-captain), Waisake Naholo, Rob Thompson, Tei Walden, Tevita Li, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock, Dillon Hunt, Liam Squire, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon (co-captain), Daniel Lienert-Brown.

Reserves: Liam Coltman, Aki Seiuli, Tyrel Lomax, Dan Pryor, Elliot Dixon, Kayne Hammington, Fletcher Smith, Matt Faddes.

Strong and settled everywhere except the midfield. We'll see how that functions without Malakai Fekitoa.

When was the last time the Blues beat another NZ Super team?

It doesn't look like the streak will be broken this year.

When was the last time they had an AB quality 10?

I think Perofeta and Black have potential but who knows.

Buckman. But, yep, the Blues are suffering by injuries already. Tana needs to select less injury prone players in his squads.

Buckman's loss shouldn't be underestimated. A great organiser and a guy who has the kack of making things happen.

It's student O Week and they are expecting about 18,000 so it should be noisy.

There will be a bit of cleaning up to do though because they had the annual toga party there last night.

Not sure about Black, but Perofeta definitely has the goods to step up. Reckon it's just a matter of when, not if.

Buckman.

SAM has a very strange obsession with Stephen Perofeta.

Highlanders by a lot.

Umaga to go at or near the end of this season, coaching career ruined in NZ. Will head to easy rugby to see out the remainder of it.

Hmm...yeah OK, ya got me. I've followed his progress closely since his days in the Wanganui Collegiate 1st XV, and I'm delighted that he's developing into such a fine player. So go right ahead, colour me obsessed.

And Lentjes - although I imagine he, Hunt and Pryor will be rotated a bit this season.

It's great to have Pryor back on the bench - I think the Highlanders missed his ability as an impact player for much of last year.

Another one the Hurricanes let get away?

Whoa, whoa now ... Rob Thompson is the second coming of Ryan Crotty!

Where would they put him? This is a problem with the current model. Young guys are built up so much that when they have to be understudy they don't like it. Not saying Perofeta is like that, he's probably a very nice bloke and happy to be given a chance but in a wider sense there's a hype around very very young men which is damaging to their future prospects.

For instance, who saw Beauden Barrett before he stamped his mark?

Arrogant Highlander fans at peak arrogance levels and making more noise than Silver Grin roaring down a quite suburban dunners neighbourhood

Blues by 55

Perofeta's a very grounded, level headed kid. He won't let the hype get to him.

Interested how that Blues backline will go as I think they have a 1st Five with a brain who is not likely to be as flakey as his predecessors. Good move by Tana and should make that backline tick.

He didn't have a choice. Black and Perofeta are both injured.

Blues pack is very under gunned, though they do have Manu and Tuipulotu on the bench. Backline is fulled to the brim with talent.

Umaga should not have ignored Michael Little (north habour),.. he could have covered 10/12 ..

I'm a Blues fan - hence the unhappy face after my comment.

Blues by 55 might tick off the mocker gods a bit but I'll take 5.

How many games did Perofeta get for Wanganui, SAM?

Bloody hell, 12 injuries for the blues before the first game has been played

He was poached by the Naki.

This has been ongoing for years though. One or two seasons is bad luck, five seasons....that's bad management.

Everyone saw how talented BB was, the same with Israel Dagg - the Canes have a history of overlooking players from outside of Wellington and the Naki.

If not for a Hammettuer grenade the Canes likely would have had Cruden and Barrett, and wouldn't have had to wait so long for their first title.

Black is methodical, Perofeta is mercurial...the question du jour is, "Clan by how much?"

Let the 2018 All Blacks trials commence.


Blues by 6.

Just staggered in to the sponsor pub for the first time since last season...it's 34 degrees outside and I am thirsty...

Our u20s forward pack will be more interested in O Week

We look like the Blue Bulls