Highlanders Rugby

Highlanders fans have been hearing all year that their team is not up to it, that they would fall over due to their lack of big-game experience and large number of "no-name" players.

Yet here they are, set to line up against the Hurricanes in the final of this year's edition of Super Rugby.

After a stellar regular season in which they had one of the hardest schedules in Super Rugby history, the team entered the playoffs with the second most competition points on the overall table. 

That was not enough for doubters though, with the southern men having entered both of their playoff matches against the Chiefs and Waratahs as underdogs in the eyes of many.

It is hard to understand why. The Highlanders had beaten the Chiefs twice and Waratahs once during the season, while not losing to either. They have shown their ability to play to various game plans and do so successfully. 

Both teams tried to beat them in their playoff fixtures with big, bruising forward packs, keeping the game tight and literally smashing the Highlanders in the contact situations.

That said a lot about the perception of this Highlanders forward pack, which has been so good all year—particularly over the past two months.

We are frequently inundated with statements from north of the Cook Strait saying how the forward pack is full of "no-names" and it seems the teams themselves bought into it.

Perhaps they are not a pack of big name players. But that does not mean they are not good players, and they proved it by doing to the Chiefs and Waratahs what those two sides wanted to do to the Highlanders. 

The men in the Highlanders forward pack have been playing to a high standard all year. Much has been made of how they work well as a group. That is true. But it seems to be ignored, outside of the Highlanders region, just how good these men are playing as individuals.

Take the front row for example.

Liam Coltman is playing as well as any hooker in the country. His work rate, like the others, is fantastic. He often leads the line in the kick chase, gets up with fantastic line speed on defence and brings physicality and strength in contact. On top of this, his lineout throwing has been top notch, something that has put a dampener on the otherwise outstanding Dane Coles this year.

Then there is the propping duo of Brendon Edmonds and Josh Hohneck. Again, it is hard to think of two better props in New Zealand rugby right now. Not only are they rock solid in the scrum, they demonstrate exceptional mobility around the park. Both are physical in contact, get around the field at a tremendous pace and, most notably, get back into the game quickly after making a tackle.

Behind them there are a group of locks in which you can pick any two men and be confident that they will do a good job for you. Over the past two weeks Mark Reddish and Alex Ainley have been outstanding.

Their set-piece work has been solid, but it is in the open where they come into their own. The speed at which they get around the field is like they are loose forwards, yet they get through the workload associated with tight forwards and both bring a relentless attitude, particularly on defence.

Then you have Joe Wheeler and Tom Franklin—the first-choice duo at the start of the season—who both had their seasons disrupted by injury. Wheeler is similar to the other two, a reliable lineout jumper who just keeps making tackles and hitting rucks. Franklin is slightly looser, although still a hard worker, and possesses good ball skills—most notably a handy offload.

Heading into their semi-final last weekend, it was widely remarked how many Wallabies the Waratahs forward pack contained, while the Highlanders pack contained zero All Blacks. 

Perhaps that says more about the Wallabies, however, as it is not hard to imagine most of these Highlanders making a difference to the Wallabies if they were Australian.

In fact, is it that much of a stretch to say that none of these men would look out of place in an All Black squad? 

The locks have played as well as Luke Romano and James Broadhurst over the past year or two, while the props offer more in an all-round sense than most in the All Blacks. Liam Coltman would possibly feel most aggrieved after being snubbed in a position where New Zealand have a lack of depth and Codie Taylor, another uncapped international player, was brought in.

In the loose forwards they are just as potent, if not perhaps quite banging down the doors of the All Blacks to the same extent.

Nasi Manu has been as valuable as anyone to the Highlanders over the past five years. He is a strong ball-carrier and provides go-forward, while also offering relentless defence and a work rate few can top. Indeed, it is not uncommon for him to lead the team in both carries and tackles.

Then there is the multitude of flankers, and all of them have been reliable when called upon. They normally have one ranging down the right side of the field and another covering the whole park. 

It is usually Elliot Dixon or Gareth Evans that they use in the ranging role. Both run well in the open, but both are also hard workers, chasing kicks and making plenty of tackles when play comes their way, while also offering quick support at the breakdown.

Then there is Dan Pryor, a man who has been playing top rugby for Northland for years but has been overlooked by Super franchises up until this year. His speed combined with physicality and relentlessness has been huge. Like the other loose forwards, he brings the ability to be a worker, as well as being able to make an impact with a key play.

They have all been outstanding this year, and if they were players with small reputations at the start of the season, they certainly should not be now. Each has proven himself to be a top player and many would be playing international rugby if they were from any other country.

Yet they are not getting the respect they deserve.

They have made it to the final, and while they play outstanding rugby as a collective, they are also playing exceptionally well as individuals.

In the backs they have any number of match-winners, and despite having played some scintillating rugby this year and scoring some breathtaking tries, they are still accused by Stuff writer Mark Reason of being negative.

Then there was this piece published by the New Zealand Herald, suggesting that the Highlanders would "find the Hurricanes impossible" and still referring to them as a pack of "no-names," rather than acknowledging that they indeed might actually be fairly handy players.

What else do they have to do?

They have won games through playing running rugby. They have won games through kicking tactically and being clinical on attack. Then have won games through withstanding copious amounts of pressure and taking the few chances they have been given.

They are no one-trick ponies.

Of those wins, they have claimed the scalps of the past two champions five times—twice on their home grounds. They also dispatched of the South African Conference champions Stormers in Dunedin and the Crusaders, the biggest victims of the conference system, on their home turf.

Even the Hurricanes only just escaped with a win, after a controversial decision denied the Highlanders a draw in the dying seconds of their meeting in Dunedin earlier in the year.

Do not read too much into the second meeting between those two sides this year. The Highlanders fielded a starting XV missing Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Patrick Osborne, Aaron Smith, Josh Hohneck, Nasi Manu and brought Liam Coltman off the bench. 

Those players will, most likely, take the field this weekend, making the Highlanders a team that are more than capable of lifting the trophy.

And what if they do?

Will they still be a team of no-names who are getting by based off their team culture and good attitude?

Perhaps that will be the storyline some will use.

Those within the region see the team differently though. This is a good team filled with good players. They may not have the big names, but that has largely come as a result of them being overlooked, rather than because they are not as good as those elsewhere.

There is undoubtedly a great culture within the squad; indeed, it is inherent within the whole community, which has helped.

But it is time these men get the respect they deserve as individuals too.

Perhaps they just need to keep on playing well. Eventually, performances speak for themselves.

You could be forgiven for thinking you had gone back in time. That is the feeling many Highlanders fans got when they heard that Neil Brew was the latest player called into the squad to cover for a multitude of midfield injuries, as was reported by Yahoo Sports.

Brew is an experienced campaigner to say the least. At 34 years old he has been around the block a few times, having played five seasons of Super Rugby between 2001 and 2006. Of these, four were with the Highlanders, where he became a mainstay in the midfield alongside Seilala Mapusua. 

Along with Brew, the southern franchise has also called up veteran hooker Jason Rutledge, a stalwart of the team in recent years who was initially unwanted for the 2013 season.

They are certainly interesting moves, ones that if nothing else show how dire the injury situation at the Highlanders has become.

Tamati Ellison, Shaun Treeby and Ma'a Nonu have all been missing, with just Phil Burleigh and youngster Jason Emery left to fill the gap in the No. 12 and No. 13 jersey's. While Nonu looks set to return this weekend, the situation remains less than ideal.

The Burleigh-Emery combination has looked solid and has covered well for the stars, but there is still some firepower lacking from the back line.

It was this firepower that had seen many dub the Highlanders as preseason favourites to win the whole thing in 2013. Certainly few would have predicted that after three games the southern men would be dead last on the competition table, having dropped each of these games which were all at home.

Although it is not just the midfield where they have been hit hard in the injury department. In Nasi Manu they have lost their best forward, while their two top hookers in Andrew Hore and Brayden Mitchell will be sidelined for the next month.

Whatever you make of it, there is one thing that cannot be denied: the injuries have had a significant impact on the team.

In losing Manu they have lost their main source of go-forward, while Hore is their leader and can at times act as a fourth loose forward. The forward pack has lost much of its substance without these two and has consequently struggled.

But it is the midfield that is the major concern. Not because it is any more important than the men up front, but because of the alarming rate at which men seem to be going down in this area.

It was here that the Highlanders were supposed to be the strongest in 2013. In Ma'a Nonu and Tamati Ellison they were to have the best midfield in the competition, threatening on attack and rock solid on defence.

But it was not to be. And now they are left in a situation where they have had to recall a player that would not look out of place in a Highlanders legends fundraiser game to fill the gap.

The Highlanders have signed Manawatu centre Jason Emery, one of the best up-and-coming talents in world rugby. The move may come as a surprise to some, as Emery is just 19 years old and in his first year out of school, but rest assured, this kid has bucket loads of potential.

At school level, Emery was a superstar, spending three years in the Palmerston North Boys' High School First XV and captaining the side in his final year. He made the New Zealand Secondary Schools side in 2010 as a Year 12, a remarkable feat that very few players achieve. He would score a try in the side's 30-21 victory over Australian Schools in October 2010, looking good before he was hampered late in the second half of the match with an injury. 

2011 saw him receiving national honours once again, playing a key role in a New Zealand team that would eventually go down to the Australians 26-19.

Upon leaving school, Emery was included in the New Zealand U-20 team to play at the 2011 World Championships. Again, an impressive feat, given he was only 18 and will be eligible to play for the team again in 2013.

You wouldn't have known this from the way he played, though, putting on some outstanding performances and emerging as one of the stars of the tournament. His team progressed to the 2011 Final before falling to the home side, South Africa.

He then returned home, where he represented Manawatu in the ITM Cup in his first season of provincial rugby.

The kid has an impressive resume. But what all of this doesn't show is the potential he boasts, the skills he possesses that make him so highly thought of.

He is a strong runner, possessing the ability to break tackles and spot holes in the opposition defence. His ball handling is of the highest class, and his offload is one of the best going around. He can also pass, kick and tackle well.

Possibly his best skill, though, comes in his support play and his natural instinct of knowing where to be to keep a play going or finish off a break. This is something that can't be coached and will come of extreme value to his future teams.

At just 19 years old, he remains a work in progress and may struggle to see much playing time for the Highlanders with All Black Tamati Ellison in front of him. But his time will come and, should he stick around, he has potential to be a star for the Highlanders for many years to come.

If he can do at the top level what he has been doing at grade level, he will be one of the best in the world.

Having been a member of the Otago Boys' High School team that was unfortunate enough to have to come up against him at the New Zealand U-15 Tournament in 2008, this writer can say with experience that Emery is a player who will cause any number of defence problems for his opposition.

If you live in New Zealand, you may have heard that one of the more storied unions in the country is currently in debt and is struggling to stay active and avoid liquidation.

Otago, the union that has produced the likes of Josh Kronfeld, Jeff Wilson, Clarke Dermody, Adam Thomson and even Richie McCaw in the age-grades, may be on its last legs. The futility of the Razorbacks and the Highlanders over the last few seasons and the building of the new Forsyth Barr Stadium has led to their bankruptcy and the fall of what used to be one of the bigger unions of New Zealand rugby.

Personally I blame their white elephant, Forsyth Barr Stadium, for their downfall. Otago's decision to build a bigger stadium for the Rugby World Cup did not take into account the declining attendance at their home games. But the fact that they weren't able to make enough money brings up a question: Should rugby in New Zealand become more commercialized?

Here in Aotearoa, many people ridicule American sports broadcasts due to the amount of commercial breaks and the constant brand-name dropping often at inopportune times, such as when Mike Goldberg had to keep bringing up Corn Nuts at UFC 144. But at least they make money. Sports in America is a billion dollar industry.

Otago's current state has led to people calling for rugby to become an amateur sport once more. Clearly that is an overreaction because amateurism would ruin rugby at its highest level. To play at a high level, more time needs to be put into training and conditioning, and to ensure that they can do that, they need to be paid and therefore professional.

Professionalism does have its drawbacks. It changes the behaviour of athletes because of how much money they make or how they are marketed. Look no further than the NBA and their lockout. Due to the need to ensure that athletes are all top quality, professionalism is inevitable. To pay for these professionals, commercialism is needed. It is annoying to watch, but it does the job and it helps the sport.

New Zealand rugby has largely avoided over-commercialization over the years. Apart from stadium and competition names, it's not very evident. Compare that to other rugby teams: Japan's rugby teams are all named after companies, such as the RICOH Black Rams. Australia's Super Rugby teams are now attached to their sponsors, such as the University of Canberra Brumbies. But in New Zealand, the teams are run by the NZRFU.

Therefore, they make less money, which is a big reason why there are so many New Zealand players going overseas. If they could make more money and pay their top-level players more, then more of them will stay in the country. The Super Rugby franchises have now been opened up for private ownership, which is a good step forward. If they were run by a wealthy person with business knowledge as opposed to the NZRFU, then the teams may be able to turn in more of a profit.

As mentioned before, in America, sports are a business. The teams are all run like businesses and make tons of money. Their broadcasting model is also full of commercials and sponsorship. Even their highlight packages have to be introduced with a bit of name-dropping. It may ruin the broadcast for a lot of people, but in this era of professional sport, it is becoming a necessity. Perhaps not to the same extent as American sport, but more than it is now.

It would be a shame to see Otago gone for good. They have a week to go until liquidation. All New Zealand teams should take note of this. It's a sign that something has to be done to ensure all the teams can turn in a profit and avoid the same fate. Succumbing to commercialism is seen by many as moving over to the dark side, but it is necessary to run professional sports now. It doesn't have to be big changes, it should start off incrementally. Even just little changes to gain sponsorship money will help out.

I would like to hear other people's opinions so feel free to comment below.

For a long time, the Highlanders have been at the bottom of the New Zealand Super Rugby hierarchy. But last year, they had their first non-losing season since 2005, managing to finish third in the New Zealand conference. Their improvement under Jamie Joseph and the influx of talent has Highlanders fans optimistic that they can finally make the playoffs.

In recent years the deep south has become a destination for talented players who were unable to make their own Super Rugby franchise. Eighteen of their 32 players come from outside the Highlanders' franchise region. But one team's trash is another team's treasure.

This year's edition of the Highlanders features 11 internationally capped players, seven of which played in the Rugby World Cup last year.

Leading from the front is big Southlander Jamie Mackintosh. The 130-kg prop has played age grade rugby for New Zealand all his life. He is a strong scrummager and a powerful ball runner. On the other side of the scrum will probably be fellow Southlander Chris King, who has always been one of the better props in the competition despite never being selected for the All Blacks. Veteran Bronson Murray and rookie Ma'afu Fia round out the rest of the props.

At rake, making his Highlanders debut is All Black veteran Andrew Hore. After captaining the Hurricanes last year, he was controversially released by coach Mark Hammett and decided to move down south as a result. He is a mobile hooker with a high work rate, often getting turnovers at the breakdown. Behind him will be Southland hero Jason Rutledge. At 34, Rutledge has played his best rugby over the past two years, with a powerful pick-and-go and a high work rate on defense. It will be interesting to see how much game time he gets this season.

The second row will be led by last year's new All Black Jarrad Hoeata. The hard-tackling Taranaki import will be teaming up with Southlander Josh Bekhuis, who has made improvements every year he has played for the Highlanders. He will finally be getting some more starting time due to Tom Donnelly's departure for Canterbury. Bay of Plenty Steamer Culum Retallick will be backing them up, after playing with the Chiefs in the past.

The Highlanders have one of the most talented loose forward groups in the country. All Black Adam Thomson has excited fans with his ball running and ball winning since his debut season in 2008. Manawatu flankers Nick Crosswell and Doug Tietjens have been solid performers for their province over the past few years. Nasi Manu will return to wreak havoc on opposing defenses with his physical ball running. Few men can bump off Benson Stanley so easily.

English loose forward James Haskell is their most high-profile acquisition in the forwards. The 26-year-old will join them later in the year due to his commitments in Japan. He says that he wants to play in New Zealand to experience a new playing environment and improve as a player.

He is capable of lining up in all three loose forward positions as shown during the World Cup. He is great at the breakdowns and at 6'4", he is tall enough to be a line-out option. How he adjusts to the New Zealand style of game remains to be seen.

At halfback, former captain Jimmy Cowan will look to become the player he was in 2009, when he was the All Blacks' starting halfback. Unlike Weepu and Ellis, he can make the long pass without taking the extra step. He is also one of the best defensive halfbacks in the world, rarely missing tackles and able to tackle much bigger men. What holds him back, though, is his lack of speed.

His backups are Manawatu and New Zealand Maori halfback Aaron Smith. Smith has the speed around the fringes and could become a great halfback in the future. Many people want him to play instead of Jimmy Cowan because of his offensive ability, but that will depend on if Cowan can return to form.

The much-maligned Colin Slade will have to prove himself this season. After average performances for the All Blacks against the Springboks and Argentina, and Aaron Cruden's resurgence during the World Cup, many were critical of the decision to make him Dan Carter's backup, especially because of his limited game time for the Highlanders.

Last year he battled repeated injuries, mainly to his jaw, and only played three games for the franchise. The Cantabrian has the speed and the boot to play the position, but he needs to open up and take more risks to prove he can make it on the international stage. Otago man Chris Noakes and the improving Wellingtonian Lima Sopoaga provide capable backups in case he faces injury problems again.

The versatile Tamati Ellison returns to New Zealand after a stint in Japan. Before he left, he was playing the best rugby of his career for the Hurricanes. Kendrick Lynn and fellow Wellingtonian Shaun Treeby will be joining him in the midfield. Lynn has always been a great linebreaker for Southland and Treeby had a great rookie season last year for the Highlanders.

On the wing, making his Highlanders debut will be former Hurricane Hosea Gear. Graham Henry called Gear the "best winger in the world," but his problems have always been his work rate in defense. On the other side will be Tongan winger Siale Piutau, who was probably their best player in the World Cup, with his outstanding speed and linebreaking ability. Their pairing may be one of the best wing combinations in the country.

At fullback is two-test All Black Ben Smith. He is an outstanding counter-attacker with great defense. He was unlucky to miss out on All Blacks selection last year, but with Muliaina's departure, there will be a fullback spot up for grabs. Taranaki fullback Kurt Baker is also a solid option at backup, with sevens experience to his name and no shortage of pace.

Even with all this talent, however, the Highlanders will have tough competition in the New Zealand conference. But the way they improved last year, the race for the New Zealand conference title will be a competitive one. I just hope they don't wear the lime greens again.

Depth is not a word that has been associated with the Highlanders for quite some time.

In fact it's been a rather frustrating time for those in the south of New Zealand, who have been left constantly scratching their heads at the failures of their once-proud team.

Names like Jeff Wilson, Josh Kronfeld and Taine Randall were replaced by journeymen who struggled to foot it with the best in the competition. 

But major changes after a failed campaign in 2010 saw a new coach, Jamie Joseph, recruited to turn the franchise around. Joseph's efforts were seen immediately in 2011 as the team delivered their best performance in years.

The future now looks bright for the Highlanders, and 2012 may be the year that sees them finally reclaim their place amongst the top teams of the competition.  

However, they still have plenty to prove, as many pundits still rate them lowly. Even the TAB have them listed as only the fourth-best New Zealand team and a fair way off the Chiefs, who they have rated as their third team.

One must ask themselves if this is really a true reflection of the team's ability, or a reflection of their recent performances.

The first thing to remember is that this is a very different team from the one that has taken the field in recent years.

Their main problem in 2011 came from a lack of depth in certain positions. However, they have gone some way to fixing this and have a strong squad across all areas.

They are traditionally strong up front, and with a starting front row of Jamie Mackintosh, Andrew Hore and Chris King, this will once again be the case in 2012.

Hore was a big signing and will provide valuable experience to the Highlanders upon his return home from the Hurricanes, where he has played since leaving his native Otago over a decade ago. The three all play a similar no-nonsense, get-the-job-done type game, typical of Highlanders front rows over the years.

Hore's backup comes in Jason Rutledge, a very good player in his own right who has become something of a folk hero to the fans down south. His work rate is high and he plays like a fourth loose forward.

Prop may be a position lacking some depth, but the improving Bronson Murray will back up the starters, while newcomer Ma'afu Fia waits in the wings.

They are strong in the locks with three genuine starting options in Josh Bekhuis, Callum Retallick and Jarrad Hoeata. Bekhuis likely will start, as will Hoeata once he returns from injury. Both have big futures and it wouldn't be a stretch to say either could feature in a black jersey this year.

Hoeata provides the grunt and is to the Highlanders what Jerome Kaino is to the Blues and All Blacks. All three are good lineout options.

The loose forwards provide plenty of good players, meaning the hardest choice to make is who to leave out rather than who to pick, something the Highlanders haven't had the luxury of for many years.

Adam Thomson will definitely start in some form; at which position will depend on who else is chosen. Nasi Manu will almost certainly be the No. 8 after an excellent 2011, which saw him develop into a strong ball-running threat.

John Hardie and English import James Haskell likely will contest the last starting spot. Hardie is one of the best tacklers around, while Haskell has international credentials, meaning either would make a good choice. Along with this there are plenty of youngsters waiting in the wings should they be required.

The outcome of this forward pack should be a strong scrum, a good lineout with plenty of options and a strong presence around the park. They are renowned for their ferocious, hard style of play, and boast the players to continue this tradition.

It will also allow their backs to get plenty of good ball to work with. And in stark contrast to the past eight years, it is a lethal back line that will take the field in 2012.

Jimmy Cowan retains his position at halfback, where he will organise the back line. Cowan brings a very good kicking game and defensively is the best of the New Zealand halfbacks.

He is backed up by Aaron Smith, a youngster who debuted last year and proved to be a good runner while also possessing a very crisp pass, making him a good option in the last 30 minutes of a game.

Outside these two they boast 2011 All Black Colin Slade, who will want to add a greater contribution after having his 2011 season interrupted by injuries to the jaw and groin. Slade is a good runner and distributes well, while also possessing a reasonable kicking game.

Many have knocked his ability due to his performances at the Rugby World Cup, but don't sleep on Slade; he has shown himself to be a very good player at the Super Rugby level and was carrying an injury at the tournament.

Beneath him is Lima Sopoaga, who enters his second year with the franchise and will be of great value after making enormous strides in 2011. They also have former Otago player Chris Noakes, who gets a chance after years of good performances at the provincial level.

In the midfield they retain the 2011 combination of Shaun Treeby and Kendrick Lynn, while former All Black Tamati Ellison returns to New Zealand and will also be in the mix.

Treeby has the ability to get the team on the front foot, while Lynn will play a more intelligent role, looking to set up his outsides.

Ellison also has the ability to play in the outside backs, and upon leaving New Zealand was one of the best prospects in the country, so will undoubtedly find his way into the starting team in some form.

Their back three is the best they've had since the days of Jeff Wilson, with a combination of Hosea Gear, Kade Poki and Ben Smith likely to start.

Smith is a skillful player who has a knack of finding gaps in defences, while Gear and Poki are both strong runners who make a habit of finding the line.

They have a number of youngsters backing these three up in Siale Piutau, Kurt Baker and Telusa Veainu, all of whom have a lot of potential. Piutau in particular stood out in 2011. 

This makes up a very dangerous back line which will be very hard to contain. They have a number of young players returning for their second season, all of whom will be that much better for the experience.

To go with this they have the likes of Gear and Ellison entering the fold, who will also provide valuable experience.

Written like this, it looks like a top team. And they might well be.

But one final thing to remember is that games aren't played on paper, a reality which has been seen time and time again in Super Rugby.

However, if last year's efforts are anything to go by, you can be assured that Jamie Joseph will have this team well-drilled, fit, committed and playing ruthless rugby that has become synonymous with the south.

Combine this with the team on paper and it's not hard to see the Highlanders up there with the top teams in Super Rugby for 2012.

Whether they will be or not will only be seen in time.

On May 27 I reported that the Highlanders were considering a jersey color change to what was believed to be green.

Today, the Highlanders confirmed that this was indeed the case and the team would wear the jersey to mark the team's last game at Carisbrook this Friday night against the Western Force.

It was something that almost every person from the south of New Zealand thought was simply a joke, that it would never happen.  However it is beginning to sink in across the region that the Highlanders will indeed take the field in green next week. 

The reasoning behind the idea simply defies logic. Highlanders General Manager Roger Clark today said:

"We believe the time is right for change. We have a new coach, new players, new expectation, new and renewed fans, and next year, we will have a new home stadium."

We have chosen colours that we believe represent the physical characteristics of the whole franchise region. The colours will make a clear statement about the geography of our region and will stand out in the Super Rugby international competition. A year ago the Highlanders was not a strong franchise- the team wasn't performing and it was hard work for our fans. This year, there's a real sense of renewal tells us that people across our Provincial Union regions want us to have a franchise identity distinct from their provinces."

However, this view is not mirrored by the public. In fact, it has caused the biggest uproar in the south for many years.

The reason is simple. People of the south identify with the colors blue, gold and maroon. 

While Clark says the team has a "new coach, new players, new expectation, new and renewed fans, and next year, a new stadium," it doesn't have new fans.  Most don't buy into it. He also cites the want to break free of the provinces that they were formerly associated with, that they no longer want to have to conform to the traditions of these provinces.

That is all very good. But the facts are, the Highlanders have developed their own traditions and culture over the past 16 years, which can be summed up in the colors blue, gold and maroon.

He says that in recent years the side hasn't been a strong team and that a new jersey will put these years behind us.  This is also true.  However every loyal Highlanders fan will also be able to tell you of the days when the team was one of the top sides in the competition.

When Taine Randell led a team that included the likes of Jeff Wilson, Josh Kronfeld, Anton Oliver and Byron Kelleher among many others.  All this wearing the sacred colours of blue, gold and maroon.  Do we really want to leave this behind?

And that shows just why fans show their support.  They don't necessarily support the players, or the coaches, but the team.  That is key.

While the players, coaches, administrators and even stadium may change over time, the team remains the same.  Long after the personnel of the current team are gone, the team will still remain and the fans will still be there to support whoever may be wearing the Highlanders jersey.

It can be best summed up by what Buck Shelford once said about the All Blacks jersey.

Shelford said that each individual "is a caretaker of the jersey and it's their responsibility to look after it for the next person." In essence, no one owns the jersey, and the next generation of Highlanders should be given the same chance to wear the same jersey that was worn by the players who developed the Highlanders culture in the late 1990's.

All of the things that this tradition and culture of the Highlanders means can be expressed by fans and players alike through wearing the team colors.  By shifting away from these colors, the team would be moving away from everything the fans have come to proudly associate with their team.

Over the past few days, I have spoken to hundreds of Dunedin citizens about the idea.  Although not all Highlanders followers, the feeling seems to be mutual, keep the Highlanders in blue, gold and maroon. 

Of all these people, only one thought the change was a good idea. This sums up exactly how the region feels about the change and shows that the administration staff are indeed out of touch with the fans.

In today's media release, Roger Clark finishes by saying: "If 2012 is anything like 2011 it's going to be a great year to be a Highlanders fan. I can't wait to watch them."

But one must ask themselves.  How many fans will the Highlanders still have next season? No doubt the region will still want them to do well, but how many true fans will the team still possess?  The move has outraged so many fans, the effects may be irreversible.

To top it off, it has been decided that the Highlanders will unveil this new strip in their last game on Carisbrook.  To quote one disgruntled fan I interviewed today, "this is simply insulting."

The Highlanders have played some truly memorable games on Carisbrook and Friday night should be a night to remember all the good times, rather than leave them all behind.  Wearing the uniforms the side wore in 1999 when the team made the Final would be a much better send off for the ground that was come to be known as the 'House Of Pain'.

On a personal note, I have always maintained that I will support my beloved Highlanders to the death.  No matter how far they fell or how badly they played, I would remain loyal to my team.  But I simply can't support a team that is willing to turn away from it's traditions and to some extent, find it insulting that the administration won't recognize the fans that remained true to the team in their darkest hour.

Is this a new beginning for the Highlanders as Roger Clark says?  Maybe.  But if it is, it is also the end of the Highlanders as we have come to know them.

The Highlanders have beaten the Bulls 36-12 in Palmerston North in round seven of the Super 14.

The Highlanders went into the match as underdogs, having won only two of their previous six games, but they were all over the Bulls right from the word go on Saturday night.

A quick start from the Highlanders saw them to a 21-5 lead at half time. But with a strong wind behind them in the second half, the Bulls were not out of the game by any means.

It was the performance in the second half by the Highlanders that ultimately separated the two teams. Brutal defence made sure the Bulls only crossed the line, once while the Highlanders scored 15 points through two tries, a conversion and a penalty.

Some of the tackles made by the Highlanders showed just how much they wanted the win and they defended their on their own line successfully a number of times.

The Highlanders put pressure on the Bulls the whole game, and it showed, as the Bulls were forced into making errors and turning the ball over at crucial times.

The Highlanders also succeeded in gaining 13 turnovers at the breakdown most of which can be linked back to the work of star flanker Adam Thompson who had yet another magnificent game.

In the backs, the Highlanders always looked dangerous while the Bulls seemed to lack composure, giving away too much ball and not taking some chances which should have been turned into tries.

Jimmy Cowan directed play well and made some truly sensational tackles while making some good runs and putting in some well-placed kicks. Israel Dagg took some brilliant high balls while making some dangerous runs and finished well.

The win is the Highlanders second in a row after beating the Cheetahs last week at Carisbrook. This is sure to boost confidence in the Highlanders camp and with a bye next week, expect them to come out firing against the Reds in Invercargill in two weeks time.

As for the Bulls, they continue on to Christchurch to take on the Crusaders, where they will be looking to get their campaign back on track.