By GEORGE BYRON
A confident Highlanders team have left five All Blacks at home for Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.
The Highlanders feel they can get the job done without Aaron and Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Elliot Dixon and Waisake Naholo at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
With the All Blacks only joining the squad in Buenos Aires next week for the Jaguares clash, head coach Jamie Joseph has a chance to try out some new combinations.
Despite so many stars being left at home, Joseph say his team will not make the mistake of underestimating the Southern Kings.
Though much water has flowed under the bridge since the Highlanders last played in PE in 2013, it is worth recalling that the Kings emerged
34-27 winners on that occasion.
Last week the Highlanders tuned up for Super Rugby's return after the June international window by beating the Crusaders 40-12 in a friendly in Oamaru.
With both sides missing plenty of players to international duty, the Highlanders ran in six tries to two in the warm-up.
The Highlanders were building up a head of steam before the international window and assistant coach Tony Bown is confident that an under-strength squad is equipped to start an arduous international tour.
Based in Johannesburg until tomorrow, the Highlanders will arrive in Port Elizabeth confident of gaining the win to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth.
“This game is probably three weeks in the making and if we get our game right and do things right we should have no problems,” Bown told website stuff.co.nz.
Asked if the Kings had been up to anything significant during the break – no players were involved in the Springboks’ three-Test series against Ireland – Brown offered a cheeky: “Probably not”.
“With the All Blacks away we have created a leadership group so the challenge is to put in a good performance,” said Brown.
Meanwhile, the Kings will name their team today and young guns CJ Velleman and Malcolm Jaer are expected to return to action.
Jaer has been out of action with a broken hand since the end of April and Velleman has been sidelined since May with a broken thumb.
Whether Davids includes the pair in his starting line-up or opts to ease them back from the bench remains to be seen.
Regular Kings fullback Jurgen Visser, who was injured in the Kings’ last game against the Jaguares, did not train yesterday.
Judged by what happened at training this week there is chance that Louis Fouche, who normally fills the flyhalf role, could be switched to fullback.
With Fouche now expected to wear the number 15 jersey it seems likely that Elgar Watts will start as flyhalf as the Kings bid to upset the Kiwis.
Kings head coach Deon Davids will also have to decide who will fill the wing berths now that flyer Luzuko Vulindlu is back in the mix after recovering from an injury.
The other contenders for a position on the wing are Lukhanyo Am and Wandile Mjekevu who have both impressed this year.
Highlanders opt for brave gambit
A confident Highlanders team have left five All Blacks at home for Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.
The Highlanders feel they can get the job done without Aaron and Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Elliot Dixon and Waisake Naholo at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
With the All Blacks only joining the squad in Buenos Aires next week for the Jaguares clash, head coach Jamie Joseph has a chance to try out some new combinations.
Despite so many stars being left at home, Joseph say his team will not make the mistake of underestimating the Southern Kings.
Though much water has flowed under the bridge since the Highlanders last played in PE in 2013, it is worth recalling that the Kings emerged
34-27 winners on that occasion.
Last week the Highlanders tuned up for Super Rugby's return after the June international window by beating the Crusaders 40-12 in a friendly in Oamaru.
With both sides missing plenty of players to international duty, the Highlanders ran in six tries to two in the warm-up.
The Highlanders were building up a head of steam before the international window and assistant coach Tony Bown is confident that an under-strength squad is equipped to start an arduous international tour.
Based in Johannesburg until tomorrow, the Highlanders will arrive in Port Elizabeth confident of gaining the win to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth.
“This game is probably three weeks in the making and if we get our game right and do things right we should have no problems,” Bown told website stuff.co.nz.
Asked if the Kings had been up to anything significant during the break – no players were involved in the Springboks’ three-Test series against Ireland – Brown offered a cheeky: “Probably not”.
“With the All Blacks away we have created a leadership group so the challenge is to put in a good performance,” said Brown.
Meanwhile, the Kings will name their team today and young guns CJ Velleman and Malcolm Jaer are expected to return to action.
Jaer has been out of action with a broken hand since the end of April and Velleman has been sidelined since May with a broken thumb.
Whether Davids includes the pair in his starting line-up or opts to ease them back from the bench remains to be seen.
Regular Kings fullback Jurgen Visser, who was injured in the Kings’ last game against the Jaguares, did not train yesterday.
Judged by what happened at training this week there is chance that Louis Fouche, who normally fills the flyhalf role, could be switched to fullback.
With Fouche now expected to wear the number 15 jersey it seems likely that Elgar Watts will start as flyhalf as the Kings bid to upset the Kiwis.
Kings head coach Deon Davids will also have to decide who will fill the wing berths now that flyer Luzuko Vulindlu is back in the mix after recovering from an injury.
The other contenders for a position on the wing are Lukhanyo Am and Wandile Mjekevu who have both impressed this year.
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