HIGHLANDERS

Tuesday 30th January 2007

If Nick Evans can stay injury free he will hold the key to the 2007 season for the Highlanders. An outstanding fly-half with what can only be described as explosive pace and a well educated right boot, he will lead the side's charge at improving on the mid-table mediocrity of their past four years.

The Highlanders have very few big name players, and are clearly looking to build a young squad, this idea personified in young full-back Craig Clare, who much like Geo Aplon of the Stormers enjoyed a wonderful domestic competition, but will be tested severely in this grueling competition.

For our money they don't have enough fire power to make it into the top half of the table.

But stranger things have happened.

Strengths: Their location is one of their few strengths. It's a long way to travel to the bottom of New Zealand, both Dunedin and Invercargill, where life can be cold. Loyalty is one of their strengths if Anton Oliver is anything to go by.

Weakness: No real depth in this side and coach Greg Cooper is busy rebuilding the team. They will also be without two of the rocks of their very solid front row - captain Anton Oliver and prop Carl Hayman - who are both on the All Black condition programme for the first seven weeks. It may be rough year.

Noteworthy signings: Vili Waqaseduadua (North Harbour), Lucky Mulipola (Tasman).

Noteworthy losses: Carl Hayman (Otago) and Anton Oliver (Otago) is on an All Black conditioning programme for the first seven weeks. Andrew Blowers (no contract), Ben Blair (to Cardiff), Neil Brew (to Bristol), Vilimoni Delasau (to Clermont Ferrand), Roy Kinikinilau (to Chiefs), Seilala Mapusua (to London Irish), Chris Smylie (to Hurricanes). Tom Donnelly and Tim Boys are unavailable due to injury.

Coach: Greg Cooper is settled in as coach and obviously respected. He is a proper coach and loyal to his area. He played for Otago for years, then worked his way up from Otago's assistant coach to the coach and from the Highlanders' assistant coach to the coach, now going into his fourth year along with Phil Young as his assistant, and Young, too, has paid his dues to coaching over a decade.

Captain: Josh Blackie. Blackie, who has been one of the outstanding openside flanks in New Zealand for the past five years, takes over the captaincy in the absence of Anton Oliver. Blackie has played for the Junior All Blacks, New Zealand Colts and for the New Zealand sevens team. He made his debut for the Highlanders in 2001.

Player(s) to watch: He might be yet to win an All Black cap but Blackie has managed something precious few others have achieved, by relegating Richard McCaw to the bench. Blackie led the way from the openside flank, with McCaw as his understudy, during the 2000 International Under-21 programme where a New Zealand side dotted with future All Blacks annihilated South Africa 71-5 in the Final. Blackie considered his playing options last season but opted to remain in the south. The Highlanders are sure glad the Junior All Black flanker stayed. Then there is young Jamie Mackintosh, who will no doubt use his 130 kilogram to ensure that he is taken seriously as one of the pillars of the Highlanders scrum.

2006 Position: 9th
Best finish: Beaten finalists in 1999
Worst finish: 12th in Super 12 in 1997
Home Venue: Carisbrook, Dunedin (capacity 29,000), Rugby Park, Invercargill (capacity 17,000) and Queenstown (capacity 12,000)

2007 Prediction: They will struggle and will probably again be New Zealand's worst team. 12th

Squad: Aaron Bancroft, Josh Blackie, Callum Bruce, Keith Cameron, Craig Clare, Jimmy Cowan, Clarke Dermody, Nick Evans, David Hall, Carl Hayman, Charlie Hore, Glen Horton, Jason Kawau, Chris King, Filipo Levi, Jason Macdonald, Hoani MacDonald, Jamie Mackintosh, Toby Morland, Lucky Mulipola, Craig Newby, Anton Oliver, James Ryan, Matt Saunders, Alando Soakai, Ezra Taylor, Kane Thompson, Hale T-Pole, Viliame Waqaseduadua, Greg Zampach.

Schedule:
3 February: v Western Force, away
11 February: v Lions, away
18 February: v Sharks, away
24 February: v Stormers, home
2 March: v Blues, away
9 March: v Reds, home
16/17/18 March BYE
24 March: v Bulls, home
30 March: v Cheetahs, home
7 April: v Chiefs, home
14 April: v Crusaders, home
21 April: v Waratahs, away
27 April: v Hurricanes, away
5 May: v Brumbies, home

By James White