The Highlanders and the Force kick start our seven match Super Rugby weekend in Dunedin this morning, the first of three Friday games. The game kicks off at 09h40, so make sure you are around to catch the live comments, especially if you are stuck at work, like me!
The biggest talking point surrounding this match has not been the Highlanders’ season being in the balance, or the fact that they need to win to get back into play off contention, but it has been about this new green kit they will be playing in today.
The Force are without their first choice half backs Willie Ripia and James O’Connor and have rookie Mark Swanepoel and James Stannard starting today. This and the fact that the Highlanders HAVE to win to remain in the competition. I predict a 10 point win for the Highlanders.
Highlanders : 1, Jamie Mackintosh (C), 2, Mo Schwalger, 3, Chris King, 4, Jarrad Hoeata, 5, Josh Bekhuis , 6, Adam Thomson, 7, John Hardie, 8, Nasi Manu , 9, Jimmy Cowan, 10, Lima Sopoaga, 11, Siale Piutau, 12, Shaun Treeby, 13, Kendrick Lynn, 14, Kade Poki, 15, Ben Smith
Replacements: 16. Jason Rutledge, 17. Bronson Murray, 18. Tom Donnelly, 19. Nick Crosswell , 20. Aaron Smith, 21. Robbie Robinson, 22. Alando Soakai
Force:1. Kieran Longbottom,2. Nathan Charles,3. Tim Fairbrother,4. Sam Wykes,5. Nathan Sharpe (Captain),6. Matt Hodgson,7. David Pocock,8. Ben McCalman,9. Mark Swanepoel,10. James Stannard,11. David Smith,12. Rory Sidey,13. Patrick Dellit,14. Alfie Mafi,15. Cameron Shepherd
Reserves:16. Ben Whittaker,17. Matt Dunning,18. Tom Hockings,19. Richard Brown,20. Chris Cottee,21. Mitch Inman,22. Nick Cummins
Match Officals
Referee: Jonathon White
Assistant referees: Vinny Munro, Kane McBride
Television match official: Mike Fraser
Picked The Landers by 2.
I went big Highlanders with 16, HH hope your happy
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 1) : That’s too little.
What a joke to see Highlanders number 11 playing today.
I will not be seeing any Friday morning games for 3 weeks.
Working 12hour days 7 days a week until 25 June.
Will someone please keep the score updates coming?
Will try KSA. Let’s bond.
Highlanders by 12. Lots of sentimentallity ( jeez hope that’s spelt right ) attatcched to this game for them.
Somebody must post us a pic of the new green jersey they’ve been making the fuss about
@Speed7 (Comment 7) : Hehehehehe
@Speed7 (Comment 8) : 2 spelling errors there! Attached, sentimentality.
Benny boy. The 2nd one was aspris. Ja ?
@Speed7 (Comment 12) : And the 1st one?
1st was a mistake.
@Speed7 (Comment 14) : Good. So you score 50% on your Spelling Bee.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) :
Will try my best from behind my desk..
Morning All. Picked the Landers for this game but the friday picks has not been good for me in the past. Holding thumps for that ellusive GSP that I have not received yet this season.
@Ben (Comment 15) : ita batter tjan some offf use oters
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) : I would love too, can someone just call my boss and tell him I have other engagements too….
:)
@franshark (Comment 19) : Work on a friday? That`s just poor planning!
@Original Pierre (Comment 20) :
PLayers are on the park.. any comment on the new kit?
Their fetchers should wear long sleaves . .. you`ll never see them play the ball on the ground
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 22) : Apparently it’s lime green
i really would like somebody posting photos of this new kit. pretty please.
Post pics please!
Landers 0 – 3 Force
10 minutes
Landers 6 – 3 Force
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 26) : i wonder where pic-poster KSA is. perhaps surfing the net for new Freddie’s picks or hovering on the watches = praat … thread
@rekinek (Comment 29) :
He is actually working.. shame.. lol
@rekinek (Comment 29) : Freddies picks and / or pecks.
Can’t post pics but it looks kak.
Go to :
http://www.rugby15.co.za/2011/05/in-green/
Go to google images and search ‘lime green’. That’s the colour it is.
Greens score a try.
@Greg (Comment 33) : That pic makes it look much darker than it appears today.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 30) : are you trying to make me feel bad
Landers 11 – 3 Force
24 minutes
@Greg (Comment 33) : that’s awful lot of green
Landers 14 – 3 Force
28 minutes
@rekinek (Comment 29) : These bastards are actually making me work for my money, this is total rubbish. I thought it was an attendance allowance, now they tell me I have to work for it.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 41) : who’re are they
third force ? 
@Original Pierre (Comment 23) :
@rekinek (Comment 42) : my employer.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 44) : hmm … employers are know to do this sort of stuff
i thought that it is a day off in KSA today or is it Wednesday & Thursday?
@rekinek (Comment 39) : It is rather a lot, isn’t it.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 41) : I feel the same. Rediculous!!!
Just saw the green strip jerseys of the Lander. Must say I quite like it.
@Greg (Comment 46) : Come on Greg you guys gonna do us all another little favour tomorrow ?
Pic of the jersey in the article…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 50) : Can you please approve my avatar. Correct pic of jersey is on there.
some score please?
@Ice (Comment 52) :
Landers 14 – 3 Force
Close to half time
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 50) : You can pick up the photo of their new jersey at the following link if you want to:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/5099258/Green-landers-unveil-new-lime-green-jerseys
@rekinek (Comment 45) : Nope it is Thu/Fri weekends, but we are working 7 days a week 12 hours a day until 25 June for a Test and Inspection session on one of our plants.
Highlanders aren’t stupid, they’ll never have to wear an alternate strip with those colours.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 50) : thanx
@Viking (Comment 54) : thanx Viking – i’m not sure I wanted to see it so many times
@KSA Shark © (Comment 56) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 56) :
Makes me wonder what the laternative strip would look like. Blue or white?
any news on score – i see the jersey debate is taking over.
it’s not a fashion site
@rekinek (Comment 60) : want me to post a pic and change the subject?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 61) :
i think Viking did the pic posting in extreme
i wouldn’t mind the score if anybody knows though ..
Landers 14 – 3 Force
50 minutes
@rekinek (Comment 62) : Whatever…
Highlanders 14 – 10 Force
65min
Come on the Force!
What am I saying . . my SB !!
@Original Pierre (Comment 66) : Go Landers
Force looking dangerous but spoiling their own opportunities.
Kom Landers!!!
Penalty Force.
Higlander 14 – 13 Force
72 minutes
Highlanders 14 – 13 Force
72min
TRY Force in the corner!!!!
Force try!
Highlander 14 – 18 Force
75Minutes
Lol here comes the upset, Highlanders continue to be my bogey side!
@McLovin (Comment 73) : Well there is one of those upsets that I thought would mess up my SB.
Kinda glad the Highlanders won’t make the play-offs.
Their consistent dirty play is a blight on the game.
Come on Force…go you good thing go! Want Highlanders out of the equation.
Force penalty.
@Ben (Comment 75) : Bogey indeed. Another Penalty to Force. This should make it 21 -14 to the Force.
@Viking (Comment 74) : you kidding me – can’t they even beat force
Go Force!!! Eliminate a potential playoff rival!!
Consecutive losses to the Lions and Force at home nogal..
Shame..
Thats the game. Force Win 21 – 14
@McLovin (Comment 77) : Boom Boom Boom.
FINAL SCORE
Highlanders 14 – 21 Force
Not a good start for the Green Jersey in NZ. We’ll have to use our green Jersey to show them later in the year.
Bad for Superbru….great for South Africa’s chances of having 3 teams in the play-offs!
@rekinek (Comment 81) : Apparently not. Must say that second half it was all Force. They missed a lot of opportunities but did not allow the Landers to get into it.
Okay that settles that, the Highlanders certainly didn’t want to play in the Play-offs!
@Pokkel (Comment 88) : Its looking good. Lets hope that the sharks beat the cheetahs and bulls beat the Tahs then the door is wide open.
Well that`s the upset of the weekend out of the way.
Easy calls from here on
0 from 7
@McLovin (Comment 89) : Bwhahahahahahaa EXCELLENT.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 94) : same here