After their 33-31 loss to the Blues last week, ODT Online rugby writer Jeff Cheshire looks at some key things the Highlanders need to do to avoid a backlash from the wounded Hurricanes on Saturday night.
Get front-foot ball
The main positive from last week was how good the Highlanders were with front-foot ball. They got go-forward in contact, recycled the ball quickly and used the width of the field well, making it hard for the defence to remain organised. That resulted in two good tries in which gaps presented themselves.
However they probably did not look to run enough in the first half and struggled to hold onto the ball in the second. At Forsyth Barr Stadium this becomes even more of a factor and if the Highlanders can get quick ball with forward momentum, they can be almost impossible to stop.
Kick accurately, chase well
Against a team possessing so many attacking threats your kicking game has to be spot on. If the Highlanders get this wrong, they will give the likes of Nehe Milner-Skudder and Julian Savea the ball with space, which makes them very difficult to contain. So they will have to be accurate and the chase needs to be good to create pressure.
If the Hurricanes back three are up too far, the kick needs to go long and over their heads. Then the chase needs to be fast so the tackle can be made so there is no chance counter in space. If the back three are further back, the kicks need to be shorter and high enough to be contestable. That can mean either contesting in the air, or waiting for the recipient to catch the ball, then making the tackle as soon as they come back down and attacking the breakdown.
Chips and grubbers can also be a good option to keep the defensive line back if the Hurricanes are rushing up. They need to be used in the right situation though. Whatever their approach, creating pressure, or finding touch, is vital when using the boot against this team.
Cover the park on defence, or force turnovers
After being exposed around the fringes last week, the Highlanders will need to ensure the gaps around the ruck are filled in. While TJ Perenara may lack a yard of pace, he is strong and can shrug off tackles when given half a gap. He presents a threat but is far from the only one. The forward pack is filled with explosive ball carriers who can break the line, both in close and out wide, while their backs are lethal from anywhere.
To stop them you cannot give them space. You have to ensure the close-in channels are protected, but you also have to be solid in the midfield and have defenders out wide. That can be easy enough at first, but becomes harder when you have to reorganise after multiple phases.
The other option would be to target one area and then back their ability to scramble. The Hurricanes made a lot of mistakes last week and the best method of stopping them may be defending aggressively to try to force turnovers. They did this well last year, particularly Malakai Fekitoa, and is a game they are capable of playing. The down side is that if it does not come off you put yourself under pressure. Either way, the gaps around the ruck need to be filled and then they can figure the rest out from there.
Execute well at set-piece
Winning your own scrum ball, and not giving up penalties there, is of huge importance. The Highlanders should be solid in this area. Last week it was the lineout that, at times, caused problems. The good news is that there wasn't one glaring thing that needed fixed. A ball was dropped, a throw was too flat - these things are going to happen. They were the source of 10 of the Blues' points though, which shows the importance of being accurate. In Victor Vito the Hurricanes have an explosive jumper who is very good at the front, although further back the Highlanders have some good targets and should win plenty of ball.
Covering for injuries
Losing Waisake Naholo is a blow for the Highlanders, who have already lost Richard Buckman from their star-studded backline. Tei Walden was solid on debut, covering for Buckman, but replacing Naholo presents a bigger problem. Fast, strong and possessing the most explosive left-foot side-step in the competition, Naholo has the ability to create something from nothing like few others.
You lose a lot when you take him out, as not only do you not have that same threat, you do not have him drawing defenders out wider, meaning there will be less space closer in. Accounting for this will be important. The loss of Fumiaki Tanaka shouldn't be as impactful. It leaves them scarce if they lose Aaron Smith, but even if Tanaka was fit, losing Smith would present all sorts of problems.
