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Analysis: The Highlanders sure keep some lousy company these days.
Indeed, on the outside looking in alongside the Rebels, Moana Pasifika and Western Force, it takes a special kind of bad to miss the playoffs in the over-generous playoff format Super Rugby Pacific offers.
And, worryingly, they’re likely to regress even further next year as they prepare to farewell a host of players, including their very best, Aaron Smith, and fellow All Black flanker Shannon Frizell.
Speaking of Smith, the only complaint anyone should have with the Highlanders missing the playoffs is we won’t get to see the ace halfback play Super Rugby again.
However, mercifully, their forgettable season is dead and buried, leaving a smouldering wreck of 5-9 campaign fans of the southern franchise will want nothing more than to erase from their minds.
Even the staunchest of Highlanders supporters wouldn’t be able to argue their team belonged in the playoffs without adding a few inches to their schnozzle.
Michael Bradley/Getty Images
The Highlanders failed to make the playoffs, despite doing so last year with one fewer scalps.
While their forward pack, led by outstanding captain Billy Harmon, can mix it with the best, and they certainly don’t lack ticker, the reality is their backline isn’t Super Rugby quality – and they know it.
Just check out chief executive Roger Clark’s comments last month, when he rued the fact they’d thrown the kitchen sink at hundreds of players over the years, only for them to sign elsewhere.
“You look at our backline at the moment, and most of our players wouldn’t get picked in other teams – anyone in double digits anyway,” he said. “So, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
That they do, and while there is optimism they have a crop of talented young players coming through the ranks, there needs to be a realisation things could very well get uglier before they improve.
In the meantime, they will have to watch the Chiefs, Crusaders, Blues and Hurricanes – the Highlanders haven’t beaten a single one of them in more than two years (16 straight losses in NZ derbies) – and some of those players they tried to convince to move to Dunedin, in the playoffs.
Andy Jackson/Getty Images
The Reds celebrate during their upset win of the Chiefs last month in New Plymouth.
A time for atonement?
Let’s be honest, outside the Brumbies and Hurricanes quarterfinal in Canberra potentially being a belter, there’s a very real chance the others could be blow outs.
Both the Chiefs and Crusaders will be frothing at the gob to avenge their shock defeats to the Reds and Drua respectively, and will get their chance on Saturday.
What’s certain is neither Kiwi side will sit gun players, as they did during those upsets, and the Drua – so dangerous in the sapping conditions in Fiji – will already be shivering at the prospect of the bone-chilling single-digit temperature forecast in Christchurch come kickoff.
They won’t need told the Crusaders have won all 27 playoff games they’ve played in their home city since 1996, either.
As for the Chiefs, who rested a host of players and still trounced the Force in Perth at the weekend, and are the clear front-runners to win the title, they could make it a more than miserable trip to Hamilton for the Reds.
Pita Simpson/Getty Images
Drua player Eroni Sau scores against the Crusaders in Lautoka in March.
Limping into the playoffs
It’s not just the injury-ravaged Crusaders limping into the playoffs.
The Waratahs look set to be without captain Jake Gordon (concussion), prop Harry Johnson-Holmes and centre Izaia Perese for their trip to Eden Park, albeit against a Blues side that didn’t scare anyone after making hard work of the limited Highlanders to kickoff the final round.
The Brumbies are also set to be down on firepower when the Hurricanes visit Canberra in the final quarterfinal, given the fastest player in the competition – wing Corey Toole – and Nick Frost suffered worrying leg injuries against the Rebels in the final round.
All signs point to Chiefs-Hurricanes and Crusaders-Blues semifinals.
ROUND 15 RESULTS
At Eden Park, Auckland: Blues 16 (Patrick Tuipulotu try; Harry Plummer con, 3 pen) Highlanders 9 (Sam Gilbert 3 pen). HT: 16-6.
At GIO Stadium, Canberra: Brumbies 33 (Corey Toole, Connal McInerney, Tom Wright, Ollie Sapsford, Andy Muirhead tries; Jack Debreczeni 4 con) Rebels 17 (Carter Gordon, Brad Wilkin tries; Reece Hodge 2 con, pen). HT: 14-10
At HFC Bank Stadium, Suva: Fijian Drua 41 (Selestino Ravutaumada, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Vilive Miramira, Mesake Doge, Tevita Ikanivere, Joseva Tamani tries; Caleb Muntz con, Frank Lomani 2 con, Kemu Valetini con; Lomani pen) Reds 17 (Ryan Smith, Fraser McReight tries; James O’Connor 2 con, pen). HT: 17-17
At Sky Stadium, Wellington: Hurricanes 27 (Billy Proctor, Cam Roigard, Josh Moorby, Brayden Iose tries; Brett Cameron 2 con, Jordie Barrett pen) Crusaders 26 (Leicester Fainga’anuku, Codie Taylor, Braydon Ennor, Chay Fihaki tries; Richie Mo’unga 3 con). HT: 8-19
At Allianz Stadium, Sydney: Moana Pasifika 33 (Tomoci Tavatavanawai 2, Miracle Faiilagi 2, Christian Lealiifano tries; Lealiifano 4 con) Waratahs 24 (Mark Nawaqanitawase, Ned Hanigan, Tolu Latu, Michael Hooper tries; Ben Donaldson). HT: 21-14
At HBF Park, Perth: Chiefs 43 (Laghlan McWhannel, Anton Lienert-Brown, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Samipeni Finau, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Pita Gus Sowakula tries; Rameka Poihipi 5 con, pen) Western Force 19 (Carlo Tizzano, Tim Anstee, Burey tries; Max Burey 2 con). HT: 29-7.
Quarterfinals
Friday, 7.05pm at Eden Park, Auckland: Blues v Waratahs
Saturday, 4.35pm at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton: Chiefs v Reds
Saturday, 7.05pm at Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch: Crusaders v Fijian Drua
Saturday, 9.35pm at GIO Stadium, Canberra: Brumbies v Hurricanes.
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