Naholo top try-scorer in team's history

Waisake Naholo
Waisake Naholo
Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo has quietly become the team's record try-scorer.

Not bad for a player who was not even supposed to play more than one year in the South.

Naholo has now scored 36 tries for the franchise and taken over from Jeff Wilson.

Naholo set the record mark in the win over the Brumbies last month when he crossed for a try which was a defining moment in the match.

He intercepted the ball while the Brumbies were pressing on attack and ran 80m to score under the bar at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

There was no public acknowledgement at the time of the Fijian breaking the record and there has been little since so it is one which has slipped under the radar.

In these days with the team coming first, individual accolades are not celebrated much but it has been a top achievement by Naholo.

He joined the Highlanders in 2015 - having been one of the last players signed for the year - and in his first year set a franchise record for the most tries in a season, crossing 13 times.

After the opening two games of the 2015 season it was revealed he had signed a contract with a French club and was to play in France at the end of the season.

But such was his lightning form for the Highlanders that year, the national union got involved and Naholo managed to get out of his contract and stay at the Highlanders.

In the subsequent years, he has been just as prolific as a try-scorer.

He scored eight tries in 2016, a season in which he missed eight weeks in the first half of the season because of an injured leg.

The Fijian picked up 10 tries last year and was again the leading try-scorer for the franchise.

Naholo, who turns 27 today, has scored five tries this year.

He has played 46 games for the Highlanders and will be able to boost the record next season as he has re-signed with the franchise.

``Dunedin and the Highlanders have been good for me. My career really started when I came here.

``I love playing for this team especially at home under the roof. I have had plenty of great times and I am keen to continue next season,'' he said.


 

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