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Dixon earns first start of the season

21 Mar 2018

Elliot Dixon has earned his first start for the 2018 season after a man of the match performance against the Crusaders.

Dixon, who scored a try off the bench last week, links up with fellow All Blacks Luke Whitelock and Dillon Hunt to form the loose forward trio.

Three-cap All Black Dixon replaces the injured Liam Squire, who broke his thumb last weekend.

Hawkes Bay loose forward Marino Mikaele-Tu’u joins the bench after Dixon’s elevation to the starting lineup.

Highly touted prop Tyrel Lomax gets his first start in a Highlanders jersey at tighthead, while young Otago five eighth Josh Ioane has been named on the bench and will make his Highlanders debut if called upon.

Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger said, “The game against the Hurricanes is another opportunity to test ourselves against top quality opposition.”

“We are well aware of the threats the Hurricanes possess but we look forward to meeting the challenge with our game and the strategy within it.”

HIGHLANDERS

15. Ben Smith (C), 14. Waisake Naholo, 13. Rob Thompson, 12. Teihorangi Walden, 11. Tevita Li, 10. Lima Sopoaga, 9. Aaron Smith, 8. Luke Whitelock, 7. Dillon Hunt, 6. Elliot Dixon, 5. Tom Franklin, 4. Jackson Hemopo, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 2. Liam Coltman, 1. Dan Lienert-Brown.
Reserves: 16. Ash Dixon (C), 17. Aki Seiuli, 18. Siate Tokolahi, 19. Shannon Frizell, 20. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21. Kayne Hammington, 22. Josh Ioane, 23. Matt Faddes.

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Comments on RugbyPass

Hellhound 29 minutes ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

Yeah that changed the game so much badly for the Boks. Don't be glib. It's exactly because of that eligibility changes that the Boks became the double WC champs and the best in the world. They can actually choose the best players to play for the Boks, no matter where they are plying their trade. That's why they are 4 deep in every position talent wise. Besides that, it allows the players to grow and learn and become better under different coaches. It allows them to earn a lot of money and make rugby a professional career without having to worry how they are going to pay for their houses and families and debt worries etc. Everything they learn, they bring back to SA, helping the younger generation grow and learn. It's why Rassie is miles ahead of every other coach. As much as players want to play for their country, guess what? They will always put family first. That is why the players will go where who ever pays them the most. SA can't afford their Bok stars, but other clubs world wide can and they employ those stars. They get small change from SARU compared to what clubs and endorsement deals pay them. The players that plays for the Boks do it out of national pride and they play for more than just money. It's why they are the best. It's why they don't have a best player in each position. It's why it's a team effort and all players but into that ideology. It's why the Boks are so successful. Look at the RFU in England. Look at Wales and others. Always the same problems. Money. Players leaving because of funds not caring if that affects their eligibility to play for their country. SA is currently getting raided for its talent. Not just some of the older players, but especially the young stars. Eligibility is strangling careers of players. Especially those who wants to play for their country as they are stuck earning peanuts. With SA, these players earn Mega. Why? They are not restricted by where they play. The Currie Cup is a small competition that doesn't have space for more players. In the world of rugby however, there is thousand of clubs where they can go ahead and make a name for themselves. Instead of being stuck behind a player for years and effectively destroying their own chances of representing their country. There is so many Bok players who was never in the Bok planning. That wasn't even known. Players who made a name for themselves elsewhere and became Boks where they never would have. Eligibility is only hurting the players and once they realise that, they always leave for green pastures despite it costing them a possible Test cap.

20 Go to comments

CN 37 minutes ago

Red Roses name team for final World Cup warm up

I think this is probably the 23 for the stonger teams at the RWC although there will be debates around who starts at 9 and 10.

2 Go to comments

jb 44 minutes ago

Ex-All Black named in Wallabies squad for Rugby Championship

I really hope that the Aussies can continue this upward trend- A strong Southern hemisphere and competitive championship will be beneficial to all teams!

4 Go to comments

BC 52 minutes ago

Red Roses name team for final World Cup warm up

Where should Zoe Aldcroft play? In the second row with Ward, which means one of Galligan and Talling aren’t in the 23? Or No 6 which means that one of Feaunati, Kabeya and Packer aren’t in the 23. Perhaps having an extra line out jumper with her playing at 6 and Packer being in the twilight of her outstanding career tips the scales for JM.

2 Go to comments

Hellhound 52 minutes ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

Super Rugby is not nearly as strong and good as it was. It needs to add teams from Argentina or SA. The current model doesn't work anymore. It's still a good competition, but also a former shadow of itself.

20 Go to comments

Hellhound 1 hour ago

'We struggled': Ex-All Black first five backs Springboks to end Eden Park streak

Blah blah blah. The Boks is 4 deep in every position and no top players in any position. Age won't be a problem. Neither will the Boks be a weak run over. Arrogance and over estimation of current AB's players is what is going to make the AB's go down 2-0 again. Clearly not having watched the Boks closely since the WC in 2023, you have missed the amount of players that's been used. The depth that has been build. It was all over the news and still is. Just by taking out 5 players alone, the Boks age grade drops by at least 2-3 years. By the next WC, they will already be more experienced than most players in other teams, including the AB's. This AB's team is good, but definitely not great and can barely beat a C team French. There is many good players in NZ, but very little depth. Despite SA losing so much talent to other countries, the wheels keep churning out absolute stars, and the sad thing is that many will be lost to the Boks due to other great stars already filling those positions, with other young great stars backing them up. The Boks have so many players in every position,they can employ any strategy they wish and still beat all comers. Can the AB's or other teams do that? No team is undefeatable, not even the Boks. However, unless the Boks lose deliberately or another team bring nothing but their A game and a near flawless game plan, they will lose. As usual these 2 Tests between them will be absolutely great and very very close. When it comes to the Boks vs AB's, ranking doesn't matter. Experience doesn't matter. Nothing matters except the game. Neither ever wants to lose against each other. Every game is like a WC final. But to write of the double WC champs as old? Players who have beaten the AB's 4 games in a row? Players who have won the last WC by 1 point each in the knockouts? Players who knows how to bend but not break in the toughest and tightest games? That knows how to win? Take off the blinders, judge not by emotion, but by logic and common sense. Stats. Facts. Performance. Skill. Everyone wants their team to win and that is a great thing. You and everyone wants to talk about the Georgians and Italy as no contest and the Boks going into the RC as “under cooked”. The Boks never moved out of 2nd gear, experimenting, changing of complete game plans, almost complete team changes, without losing a step. Absolutely destroying these weak teams. Something this AB's side couldn't do to a weak C French team. Last year the Boks used 55 players, and so far used 49 ( would be more if not for injuries ) this year, with the RC still to come, and the EOYT. Last year the Boks only lost 2 tests by 1 point each with these same so called “OLD” players. What's going to be the excuse when the AB's lose against these “OLD” players? The ref again? Or Rassie's innovative experiments? Do not be glib or blind. Show respect where it's due and respect the opposition and what they have achieved. Don't like the current narrative where more and more pundits calls this Bok team to be the best ever team? Better than the AB's of 2011-2015? To me, this is a different time, different players. I don't like to compare teams unless they are the same era. Then that team was the best. Currently it is the Boks. Should the Boks make it a triple WC crown, they would arguably be seen as the best ever team. That argument of the best team ever will carry on until the end of the 2027 WC. Currently this AB team have great potential with tweaks here and there, and with Mouanga back in the frame, it's a big step up. No win is guaranteed. Overhyping players and games does no good for the players on the field, just adding extra pressure that will lead to individual mistakes on the field that will cost a team a game.

4 Go to comments

Hammer Head 1 hour ago

'We struggled': Ex-All Black first five backs Springboks to end Eden Park streak

All things being equal - the ABs have home ground advantage. So they are favourites to win both tests.

Small margins - 1-3 points difference per test in favour of the ABs.

4 Go to comments

TokoRFC 2 hours ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

And lazy jounos like Mr. Bidwell jump on that and bag it without investigating the value it really creates or how it could be improved. It isn’t perfect and could be tweaked, but rugby in NZ would be a lot poorer without it.

20 Go to comments

IkeaBoy 2 hours ago

British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Wallabies | 3rd Test 2025 Lions series

None of us are! Sure as long as she makes the effort but don’t get too excited!

Our famous, maiden knockout win. We’ll get a bank holiday for it back home in Ireland. All the school kids will want to play rugby and become heroes. They’ll probably make a movie about it.

Then we’ll get 30 PTS dumped on us in the Quarters.

Business as usual, pal!

35 Go to comments

YeowNotEven 2 hours ago

Ex-All Black named in Wallabies squad for Rugby Championship

Give Tane a run yeow Joe.

If he’s just going to hold tackle bags then send him over to Habour to get some time in the NPC.

They just lost Pellegrini to international duties with Tonga.

4 Go to comments

TokoRFC 2 hours ago

Andy Farrell left with tough Ireland decisions to make after mixed Lions Tour

Can they replicate that in Ireland though?

Depth has often been their Achilles heal for a long time. They produce would class players no doubt about it, but the drop off from the test 23 to squad players can be pretty steep when injuries inevitably occur (see props). If you take away incoming foreign players that could become eligible after 3 years which is now extended to 5. The job for Andy Farrell and his men to maintain their success becomes tricky.

Even with their golden generation of players they were strong in cohesion and continuity rather than player resources. Injuries can really effect a team like Ireland, we might see more choppy seas than smooth sailing in the emerald isles going forward.

6 Go to comments

J Marc 2 hours ago

How group of spoiled Racing 92 players drove Stuart Lancaster 'insane'

No news from Mac Kenzie. But, in France, sports agents are often used to make a noise for a better salary. I suppose it's the same thing abroad…

67 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

Yes mind boggling to think that NZR could have the opinion it wasn’t fit for purpose.

20 Go to comments

DP 2 hours ago

Andy Farrell left with tough Ireland decisions to make after mixed Lions Tour

They’ll copy SA and France, it’s the only way for sustained success.

6 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws

Yep back in the day as a youngster (before you could get really stuck in yourself playing) you were waiting for NPC to start, buy you’d also go down to the club and see the likes of Joeli or Jonah running around with the boys. Small towns 5-10-15k would have hundreds and thousands down at the local club games sometimes, when teams lined up with lots of provincial players. It used to be a great boon to clubs and fans, then SR came along.

So now that immersion takes place only for the club player than can make it into his province, with general a handful or SR players also being involved at least. Not quite as accessible to everyone, but plays out on the screens at least. It was a big reason given for guys quitting the game when that interaction was removed from club rugby.

20 Go to comments

TokoRFC 2 hours ago

Richie Mo'unga signs new deal with New Zealand Rugby

Oh no doubt its good, I would have liked him back earlier ideally

36 Go to comments

Over the sideline 2 hours ago

Richie Mo'unga signs new deal with New Zealand Rugby

Yeah the SA tour size will be crazy.

Im reading LF is available for the EOYYs if required. Not the Bledisloe tho.

36 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

New Zealand just needs to look at the NPC to change eligibility laws