Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

'It's huge': What the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final means to the Highlanders - and why the Blues are underdogs

Photo: Martin Hunter / www.photosport.nz

Former Blues hooker James Parsons and ex-Highlanders lock Joe Wheeler have shut down concerns over the validity of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title just days before the competition’s final.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Blues will host the Highlanders at Eden Park on Saturday for the tournament’s inaugural, and potentially only, final after dispatching all five Australian teams without dropping a match.

By outscoring the also unbeaten Crusaders, both teams have qualified for the final, but questions have arisen about the credibility of the competition due to the stark contrast between the abilities of the New Zealand and Australian franchises.

Video Spacer

Who takes out Super Rugby Trans-Tasman? | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | RugbyPass

Video Spacer

Who takes out Super Rugby Trans-Tasman? | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | RugbyPass

The Kiwi sides romped to 23 wins from 25 matches, while the competition has also come under criticism as the New Zealand sides avoided having to play each other throughout the tournament’s five-week span.

Perhaps the biggest concern raised by sceptics is that neither the Blues nor Highlanders had to play the highly-regarded Crusaders, who have won the last five available Super Rugby titles, en route to this weekend’s final.

However, Wheeler told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod earlier this week that both teams need to be given credit for their efforts in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman.

Speaking on the Highlanders’ campaign, Wheeler said his former side have come on in leaps and bounds after enduring an underwhelming Super Rugby Aotearoa season that provided no shortage of hurdles for the Dunedin-based outfit.

ADVERTISEMENT

Multiple off-field controversies – such as excessive partying by six squad members, including star playmaker Josh Ioane, and Shannon Frizell’s alleged involvement in an assault on a woman – compounded the many season-ending injuries sustained by key players.

Add in the unexpected departure of head coach Tony Brown to Japan on the eve of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and a disruptive travel schedule that saw Queenstown robbed of its first Super Rugby match in over a decade, and there was plenty that could have derailed the Highlanders’ season.

Nevertheless, the southerners have forged ahead and will now compete for their first piece of silverware since 2015, a feat of which Wheeler said shouldn’t be discredited.

“I think, from a Highlanders perspective, where we’ve come from this season from obviously finishing fourth in Super Rugby Aotearoa to then going five from five, but also face the adversity they’ve faced,” Wheeler told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.

ADVERTISEMENT

“They’ve had 13 guys from their original squad out with season-ending injuries, some individuals have had off-field indiscretions that has really cost the team in a couple of games this year, and then to only have two current ABs [All Blacks] in the squad, it’s an unbelievable effort by this team to be in this situation.

“I know people are going to say, ‘Well you haven’t played the Crusaders, how can you actually claim to be champions because you haven’t actually taken the five-time champions’, or whatever they are.

“But, I think to be in that position, everyone knew the rules, it was a points race. To be able to compile enough bonus points and enough points to be in this position, to be in a final, I think both these two teams should be really proud of their efforts.”

Parsons agreed that the two best teams in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman have deservedly qualified for the final by virtue of outscoring their competitors.

The former two-test All Black added that after years of mediocrity following the Blues’ last final appearance in 2003, the magnitude of being able to host this weekend’s final in Auckland won’t be lost on the franchise or its supporters.

“For the Blues, I think we all know what it means to this team and this city. We get ridiculed,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod as he referenced his former side’s lacklustre playoffs record which reads just one visit to the post-season in 18 years.

“It will mean a lot to the group, but also to the city, and I hope we get a packed house because there’s been a lot of grief, and rightly so.

“We haven’t made a final. We haven’t made finals for a long time, since 2011, but we’re here. Home final, finally, so get in behind it and celebrate it and no doubt the boys will be putting in a big shift to make sure we get the rewards.”

While the second-seeded Highlanders are widely considered underdogs for the final, Parsons maintained that the Blues deserve underdog status given the similarities between the Dunedin side’s run to the final this year and in 2015.

“They’re doing this 2015 [playoffs run]. The same story was coming out of the camp in 2015, the old backs against the wall,” he said in reference to the challenges the Highlanders have had to overcome this season.

“The Blues are underdogs, mate, I’m telling you. The Highlanders have got the finals experience. Joey said it. They’re just galvanised.”

Wheeler laughed off those claims, though, as he said the Blues can’t be considered underdogs “with their nine All Blacks” in their ranks.

Both teams will name their match day sides for the final on Thursday, with kick-off for the final scheduled for 7:05pm local time.

Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:

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

R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

1 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out' Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out'
Search