{"id":11869,"date":"2020-06-26T12:01:04","date_gmt":"2020-06-26T00:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/?p=11869"},"modified":"2020-06-26T12:01:04","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T00:01:04","slug":"sr-preview-blues-v-highlanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2020\/06\/26\/sr-preview-blues-v-highlanders\/","title":{"rendered":"SR Preview: Blues v Highlanders"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><strong>Eden Park, Saturday, June 27, 7.05pm<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lynn.substack.com\/people\/4639318\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">by Lynn McConnell<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Riding a rare high at the head of the Super Rugby Aotearoa leader board, the Blues are looking to make the most of Saturday&#8217;s game with the Highlanders to consolidate their position before their first bye.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Coach Leon MacDonald has been reluctant to change his starting combination because they had been doing the job required in games against the Hurricanes and Chiefs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;They are developing well to the style of game we want to play and adapting positively to the new rule emphasis, which will lead to a more exciting and fluid game,&#8221; he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SC594Hx61MQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;It is the last game before our first bye which will give us the opportunity to reset for the next block of games.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">It will also serve as a final appearance, off the bench, for Harlequins player Joe Marchant who is due to return to England at the end of his disrupted stint with the Blues.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;He has been a popular and outstanding member of the team and we will miss him. He has contributed well on and off the field and we are confident he will return to Harlequins as a more complete footballer for the experience,&#8221; MacDonald said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">The Blues are also expecting a reduction in their injury list before coming back off their bye with several players due to make club appearances in the break.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger has similarly given his starting side a thumbs up with only one change where Scott Gregory has been named at fullback ahead of Vilimoni Koroi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">It&#8217;s a switch from one New Zealand Sevens player to another but Gregory with more back three experience, adds speed to the back trio.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;Scotty has trained well and we just feel his physicality and presence out in those wide channels is going to be important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;He played all his rugby for Northland at fullback last year and impressed there. He has good versatility. He can play on the wing, in the midfield and can probably play first five-eighths at a push as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;We&#8217;ve got every confidence he can do the job,&#8221; he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">Gregory said he was looking forward to playing again, his only other appearance of the season was against the Rebels in Super Rugby.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">His opportunity is a reflection of the times as under normal circumstances, Gregory would have been preparing with the All Blacks Sevens for the Olympic Sevens. But with the coronavirus pandemic turning everything on its end he remained with the Highlanders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;I guess it is a bit heartbreaking that it didn&#8217;t happen this year but there is another opportunity, hopefully, in this next year coming,&#8221; he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">&#8220;The Olympics swing around every four years so maybe one day I can go back and have a go at that.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">The teams are:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><strong>Blues<\/strong>: 1.Alex Hodgman, 2.James Parsons, 3.Ofa Tuungafasi, 4.Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 5.Josh Goodhue, 6.Akira Ioane, 7.Dalton Papalii, 8.Hoskins Sotutu, 9.Sam Nock, 10.Otere Black, 11.Caleb Clarke, 12.TJ Faiane, 13.Rieko Ioane, 14.Mark Telea, 15.Beauden Barrett.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><strong>Substitutes<\/strong>: Kurt Eklund, 17.Marcel Renata, 18.Sione Mafileo, 19.Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20.Tony Lamborn, 21.Finlay Christie, 22.Harry Plummer, 23.Joe Marchant.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><strong>Highlanders<\/strong>: 1.Ayden Johnstone, 2.Ash Dixon (captain), 3.Siate Tokolahi, 4.Paripari Parkinson, 5.Josh Dickson, 6.Shannon Frizell, 7.Dillon Hunt, 8.Marino Mikaele Tu&#8217;u, 9.Aaron Smith, 10.Mitch Hunt, 11.Jona Nareki, 12.Patelesio Tomkinson, 13.Rob Thompson, 14.Sam Gilbert, 15.Scott Gregory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><strong>Substitutes<\/strong>: 16.Liam Coltman, 17.Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18.Jeff Thwaites, 19.Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20.Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 21.Kayne Hammington, 22.Bryn Gatland, 23.Ngane Punivai.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><em>If you liked this post from <a href=\"https:\/\/lynn.substack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Silver Fern Sports<\/a>, why not share it?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\u00a9 2020 Lynn McConnell<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eden Park, Saturday, June 27, 7.05pm by Lynn McConnell Riding a rare high at the head of the Super Rugby Aotearoa leader board, the Blues are looking to make the most of Saturday&#8217;s game with the Highlanders to consolidate their position before their first bye. Coach Leon MacDonald has been reluctant to change his starting&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"SR Preview: Blues v Highlanders\r\nhttps:\/\/wp.me\/p4wlzH-35r\r\n\r\nRiding a rare high at the head of the Super Rugby Aotearoa leader board, the Blues are looking to make the most of Saturday's game with the Highlanders to consolidate their position before their first bye.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rugbyheartland-news","category-super-rugby"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/news19.jpg?fit=995%2C621&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4wlzH-35r","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14036,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2021\/06\/18\/sky-super-rugby-trans-tasman-final-preview\/","url_meta":{"origin":11869,"position":0},"title":"SKY SUPER RUGBY TRANS-TASMAN FINAL: PREVIEW","author":"admin_hland","date":"June 18, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Five weeks of entertaining Trans-Tasman rugby and we\u2019re down to our top two sides \u2013 the Blues and Highlanders. The Blues have gone 18 years without a Super Rugby title. The Highlanders last won in 2015. Who will come out on top as the inaugural Sky Super Rugby Trans-Tasman champions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;RugbyHeartland News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/193962094_1995675693917494_5841194115148321047_n.jpg?fit=526%2C526&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/193962094_1995675693917494_5841194115148321047_n.jpg?fit=526%2C526&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/193962094_1995675693917494_5841194115148321047_n.jpg?fit=526%2C526&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13531,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2021\/03\/12\/round-3-preview-blues-v-highlanders-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":11869,"position":1},"title":"Round 3 Preview: Blues v Highlanders (2021)","author":"admin_hland","date":"March 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"With the alert levels in Auckland shifting to Level 1, fans around the Auckland region will have the opportunity to pack into Eden Park as the Blues get set to host their first home game of the Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa season against the Highlanders. Match Details: Sunday 14 March,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;RugbyHeartland News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/rd321bluhigh.jpg?fit=1200%2C469&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/rd321bluhigh.jpg?fit=1200%2C469&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/rd321bluhigh.jpg?fit=1200%2C469&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/rd321bluhigh.jpg?fit=1200%2C469&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/rd321bluhigh.jpg?fit=1200%2C469&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9720,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2019\/11\/12\/investec-nz-super-rugby-class-of-2020-announced\/","url_meta":{"origin":11869,"position":2},"title":"Investec NZ Super Rugby class of 2020 announced","author":"admin_hland","date":"November 12, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Investec Super Rugby class of 2020 announced 46 'rookies' sign Investec Super Rugby contracts for the first time Nine international players selected across the five squads 25 players from the All Blacks 2019 Rugby World Cup squad New Zealand\u2019s next generation of young stars, a splash of international talent and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;RugbyHeartland News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/news19.jpg?fit=995%2C621&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/news19.jpg?fit=995%2C621&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/news19.jpg?fit=995%2C621&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/news19.jpg?fit=995%2C621&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14047,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2021\/06\/19\/18-year-wait-over-for-the-blues\/","url_meta":{"origin":11869,"position":3},"title":"18 YEAR WAIT OVER FOR THE BLUES","author":"admin_hland","date":"June 19, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Take a hard-won turnover, add some Hoskins Sotutu pizzazz and a desperate dive by replacement flanker Blake Gibson, and you have a game securing try for the Blues to secure the Sky Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title beating the Highlanders 23\u201315 at Eden Park on Saturday. But it was a close-run\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;RugbyHeartland News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13593,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2021\/03\/24\/revitalised-under-20-programme-kicks-off-with-super-rugby-flavour\/","url_meta":{"origin":11869,"position":4},"title":"Revitalised Under 20 programme kicks off with Super Rugby flavour","author":"admin_hland","date":"March 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Revitalised Under 20 programme kicks off with Super Rugby flavour \u2022 Super Rugby Aotearoa Under 20 tournament next month \u2022\u00a0Tabai Matson to coach New Zealand Under 20s The next big names in Super Rugby will go head-to-head across an action-packed week of rugby at the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa Under\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;RugbyHeartland News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/u20sa.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/u20sa.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/u20sa.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/u20sa.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/u20sa.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15056,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/2021\/11\/15\/super-rugby-pacific-2022-draw-unveiled\/","url_meta":{"origin":11869,"position":5},"title":"Super Rugby Pacific 2022 draw unveiled","author":"admin_hland","date":"November 15, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Moana Pasifika to kick off new era for the Pacific region at Mt Smart Stadium Super Round Melbourne with all matches to be played at AAMI Park in Round 2 Regular season to include home and away rivalry matches in addition to the round-robin Super Rugby Pacific will kick off\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;RugbyHeartland News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"RugbyHeartland News","link":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/category\/rugbyheartland-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sqw.jpg?fit=935%2C938&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sqw.jpg?fit=935%2C938&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sqw.jpg?fit=935%2C938&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sqw.jpg?fit=935%2C938&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11869"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11869\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11870,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11869\/revisions\/11870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rugbyheartland.co.nz\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}