Highlanders: Teamwork first priority

By WYNNE GRAY

It is all change at the Highlanders. New coaches, new captain, new players and a different administration.

Will the alterations make much difference to the franchise which has made the playoffs four times in the eight-year history of Super 12 but made only a solitary final?

So far so good for new coach Greg Cooper, who is encouraged by progress leading into tonight's competition start against the Reds.

"We have done a good amount of base work and would like to be somewhere near our best for round one," Cooper said.

"You can look at some sides who have started slowly in the past like the Crusaders or Brumbies and who have warmed to their task. The danger of that approach is that you start slowly and never get back in the hunt.

"It is crucial for us to start well."

That beginning tonight is in Invercargill before the Highlanders travel to South Africa for rounds two and three.

It is not until round four that the Highlanders return to Carisbrook, a ground more regularly associated with the franchise.

"We have not embraced Southland as much as we should have in the past," Cooper said of the franchise's main provincial partner.

"We are certainly looking on this as a home game."

The Highlanders have lost a big chunk of experience with former skipper Taine Randell and Kelvin Middleton overseas and others such as Byron Kelleher and Tom Willis transferring.

When the selectors chose not to retain another group, including Willie Walker, Brad Fleming, James Arlidge and Samiu Vahafolau, the coaching staff had to deal with a greatly altered squad.

"We had to build a team identity, we had to encourage new friendships and, for a start, we were not doing a lot of rugby work," Cooper said.

"We had to make people feel comfortable without manufacturing too much. It seems to be coming together and the proof will be in our performance in their first game."

The coach believes the Highlanders' strength will be their teamwork and an all-round game.

A strong tight five would be backed by mobile loose forwards and a backline which could make breaks.

The squad had set down strong guidelines about their style but Cooper said those boundaries would not be too rigid.

"With guys like Rabeni, [Seilala] Mapusua, Tuilevu and Tanivula you can't be too strict, we have to allow them to react to chances," he said.

"From what we have seen so far, it seems to have vindicated what we did at selection time."

On the move:

In: Matt Berquist (Otago), Jimmy Cowan (Southland), Hayden Pedersen (Marlborough), Glen Horton (Otago), Nick Evans (North Harbour), Neil Brew (Otago), Clarke Dermody (Southland), Tom Donnelly (Otago), Craig Newby (North Harbour), Ben Nolan (Otago), Jason Rutledge (Southland), Hale T-Pole (Southland), Grant Webb (Otago).

Out: James Arlidge (no contract), Byron Kelleher (Chiefs), Brad Fleming (no contract), Paul Steinmetz (Ulster), Willie Walker (no contract), Paul Williams (withdrew injured), Ben Herring (Hurricanes), Peter Bowden (no contract), Joe McDonnell (Hurricanes), Taine Randell (Saracens), Kelvin Middleton (Japan), Samiu Vahafolau (no contract), Tom Willis (Chiefs).

Prospects: There is a reassuring solidity about the tight five, featuring Carl Hayman and Carl Hoeft in the front row with new skipper Anton Oliver, supported by locks Simon Maling, Daniel Quate and Filipo Levi.

The scrums should be no problem while Oliver and Maling will have to repeat their slick lineout work from last season.In midfield, Seru Rabeni will be a handful if he repeats his World Cup form.