Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Aaron Smith returns for Highlanders’ must-win clash

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Aaron Smith, Sam Gilbert and Jonah Lowe are all back in the Highlanders’ run-on side this week for their must-win clash with the Melbourne Rebels.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Highlanders are currently second-last on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, but would rise above the 10th placed Rebels with a win on Saturday.

All Black Ethan de Groot will start at loosehead prop again this week, and will pack down in the front row alongside Andrew Makalio and Jermaine Ainsley.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

Shannon Frizell and Will Tucker will combine in the second row, while the inclusion of Sean Withy is the sole change in the loose forward trio.

Billy Harmon will captain the team from openside flanker, while the in-form Hugh Renton will line up at the back of the scrum.

The Highlanders’ halves duo boasts some impressive international experience, with Aaron Smith set to combine with former England pivot Freddie Burns.

Sam Gilbert and Fetuli Paea will link up in the midfield, and Jonah Lowe is the only change to the outside backs.

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

On the bench, replacement Mitch Hunt is set to play his 50th match in Highlanders colours – and his 95th match at Super Rugby level.

The match between the Highlanders and Rebels is set to get underway at 4.35pm NZST on Saturday at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Highlanders team to take on Rebels

  1. Ethan de Groot
  2. Andrew Makalio
  3. Jermaine Ainsley
  4. Shannon Frizell
  5. Will Tucker
  6. Sean Withy
  7. Billy Harmon (c)
  8. Hugh Renton
  9. Aaron Smith
  10. Freddie Burns
  11. Jona Nareki
  12. Sam Gilbert
  13. Fetuli Paea
  14. Jonah Lowe
  15. Connor Garden-Bachop

Replacements:

  1. Leni Apisai
  2. Daniel Lienert-Brown
  3. Saula Ma’u
  4. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u
  5. James Lentjes
  6. Folau Fakatava
  7. Mitch Hunt
  8. Thomas Umaga-Jensen

Not available: Vili Koroi, Marty Banks, Jeff Thwaites, Josh Timu, Jake Te Hiwi, Cameron Millar, Fabian Holland, Josh Dickson, Pari Pari Parkinson

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

19 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING 11 All Blacks changes as Robertson names team to take on England 11 All Blacks changes as Robertson names team to take on England
Search