Jamie Joseph
Highlanders’ head coach Jamie Joseph has named his team to take on the current Super Rugby leaders, the Waratahs in Sydney on Sunday afternoon.
The team is unchanged from the side that defeated the Chiefs 29-25 in an exhilarating match at Forsyth Barr Stadium last Friday.
With only two games to go in the regular season, the Highlanders currently sit fourth overall with the same points as the Crusaders in third (42).
The Crusaders hold the advantage in the tie-breaking criteria by virtue of the fact they have one extra win, but the New Zealand Conference could come down to a blockbuster match between the two sides next week.
Firtly however, Joseph and his troops have their eyes firmly set on Allianz Stadium and Sunday’s afternoon encounter.
“We are not too concerned with how we have gone against the Waratahs in the past,” he said.
“Our entire focus is on what we can do on Sunday. There is a real air of excitement about the group, they sense the opportunity we have earned for ourselves”.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Richard Buckman, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Shane Christie, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Tom Franklin, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Brayden Mitchell, 1 Kane Hames
Replacements: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Matias Diaz, 18 Chris King, 19 Josh Bekhuis, 20 Lee Allan, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Phil Burleigh.
Date: Sunday 6 July
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Kick-Off: 08:05 SA Time (16:05 AEST, 18:05 NZ Time, 06:05 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh
Assistant Referees: Andrew Lees, Ed Martin
TMO: George Ayoub