November 5, 2025 • 7 mins
Nathan Burdon looks at the Highlanders team announcement for 2026 Super Rugby.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome back to the Master on Hocknu those Hollywood nights.
This our next guest to know all about that, being
a former member of the Prince Media. Nathan Burdon, our
residents sporting guru. Good afternoon, good mate.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah, not bad. We haven't spoken for a few weeks.
But look we get straight into this. We've got the
Highlanders squad that's been announced this morning and from a
Southron viewpoint, how do you rate it?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yes, I guess it's sort of the team. There's probably
not too many surprises there from the thirty eight man squad.
Most of it had been signposted well ahead of time.
You can see that Jamie Joseph's looked to add a
little bit of experience to the team after taking a
very young team through last year's competition, and you know
(00:50):
the likes of Thomas Love and Lavenini, Angus Tabor bringing
those sorts of guys into the FOURD pack just to
beef up that experience a little bit more, because you
could tell you in terms of those young guys last
year and when they lost a bit of experience with
Hugh Renton and his injury and a fair but then
sort of fell on Timothy Tover Tover naway that you know,
(01:11):
they probably struggled from that leadership point of view.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Those outside backs look pretty dangerous, but the concern is
going to be getting the ball to the backs.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yeah you did, right, I think you know. And they're
going to be well served at nine. And it'll be
exciting to see if Dylan Pledger can sort of take
his New Zealand on the twenties and NPC form through
his Super Rugby. He'll you know, he'll get a bit
of chance to find his feet, no doubt. But number
ten a key position in any Super rugby team, and
(01:41):
cam Miller had such a great NPC as well, and
I guess for me probably one of the really positive
aspects was that he wasn't just kicking his goals, he
was also running the ball well, so you know that
was that was obviously a key basset of that successful
a Targo team. So that that boats well for the Highlanders.
I think they could take even you know, even an
(02:02):
eighty percent of bet through to Super Rugby, then the
Highlands would be much better for it.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
That was a difference of cam Miller twenty twenty five
MPC he compared to other seasons. I thought, like you say,
his goal kicking was on point, but the way he
hit the line at first five is what you want.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, absolutely, And you know they've beefed it up a
bit bringing Andrew Newstubb, who I don't really think of
him as a number ten but obviously did a pretty
good job of Canterbury this year in the NPC and
they managed to win a title. So they've got guys
that can do a job, whether it's the you know,
whether it's a Blue Ribbon number ten. You know, I
think there's plenty of opportunity there for a player to
(02:39):
put their hand up. But then by the same token,
they get one season and then Josh Jacob arrives down
from the Chiefs. So yeah, it's an interesting situation for
the Highness.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
The Yuill Blacks. I reckon this game is a banana skin.
They've never lost to Scotland, They've drawn with them a
couple of times. But if they're ever going to lose
to Scotland, don't ask me why, but I reckon this
could be the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Potentially, the biggest problem for the Scots might be themselves.
You know, I sort of think of them as a
team that are on the rise, whether they're on the
rise enough like a like a younger Irish team we're
a few years back when they were trying to knock
off that hecks of never having been in the All Blacks.
Whether the Scots actually believed that they can. I mean,
they probably should. This is a this is an All
Black team. That's just every game. I think it's sort
(03:24):
of the more questions they answer, the more questions get
asked as well. I'd almost given that game away. I
was pretty sure the Irish were going to be able
to finish this off in Chicago, but thankfully that bench
came on for the for the second Test in a row,
that bench came on and managed to get the job done.
And I guess the question for the All Blacks this
(03:44):
week will be they're going to have to draw on
that bench and actually start those guys rather than using
them for impact given some of the injuries they've gotten
the squad.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
And that's a concern for the Irish going forward. And
I think a few of their scribes are saying the
same thing this week. They've got no young players coming
through as such. Thinking about five years.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Ago, you had some question marks around Ireland and whether
they sort of you know, running around a bit on
on past glories and with some of those players have
potentially done their desk. But you know, by the same
token that you know that was the first test of
the year. You know, they definitely looked they looked rusty,
They looked like they were trying to play a reasonably
(04:22):
a reasonably one dimensional sort of a game just to
sort of get things going. And it was almost good
enough to beat us. So I wouldn't count that Irish
team out just yet.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
But that first half of rugby one of the worst
haids you'll ever see. Fifty to fifty five minutes to
play forty minutes of sport that should never happen.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
That was terrible. That was terrible. We've we've watched some
pretty average rugby and we're some of the stags performances
in the NPC, and they had some good games, don't
get me wrong. They gave us some memories, but some
of their other performances were pretty average. But see that
all Blacks first half, even the first hour was to
(05:00):
right up there with some rugby that you'd want to
forget pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
T tweent Ty the Black Caps going down rather surprisingly
to the West Indies last night. But Jacob Duffy, his
bowling rises, his bowling stocks just seemed to be on
the up. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
This West Indies team, who I don't know, he give
a lot about them, but they always seem to be
sort of lurching from one crisis to him to the
next to Winder's and obviously we sort of, you know,
we we sort of have our hearts open to them
at the moment with the weather crisis that's been happening
in Jamaica. But I think they arrived the very early
hours of Monday morning and then Wednesday night they're lining
(05:38):
up at Eden Park against a team that's already had
two series this early stage of this summer. Jacob dupp
at you outstanding with the ball, and probably yeah, and
he sort of bowled some of those hev overs as well,
and then obviously had to do a week job at
the with the bat. At the end, I'd given up
on them by that stage. At the I thought they
(05:58):
were well and truly gone. But Mitt Centner, who's just
who can just hit a massive ball, tried, you know,
almost got us across the line of the Captain's not
just seven or on short.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
But Aden Park is not a good place esthetically to
watch first class cracket when you're in the slips. Your
two through is the way to the boundary. I mean
even Duane Kyle of all people get at the boundary
and eating park right.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, it's Windy's medium paces almost almost pushing off the
pushing off the side screen. Weren't they last night? So
it is a it's an interesting ground. I don't have
any great love for it. I know there's a big
push on for it to be called our national stadium,
and there's a lot of people that want to make
that happen. But was up in Auckland at Labor weekend
(06:41):
and sort of just thinking, gee, how how good will
it be to have an actual national stadium down there
on the waterfront. It seems like that ships sail though unfortunately,
but Jed's it just seems like we've missed a trick there.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Bring on the stadium in christ Church. Nathan Brandon Residents
Sporting Guru, always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Lovely thanks Mane.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Laugh out loud with ag proud because life on the
land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
Sheerwell data working to help the livestock farmer. What do
you get when you cross the Atlantic with the Titanic
about halfway stood? Just remembering the state of emergency is
(07:22):
being lifted at nine point thirty am tomorrow morning, and
we'll have some more interviews as well, courtesy of South
and Rural Support Trusts in association with the Community Trust
South as well Steve Henderson on the show tomorrow. My
name's Andy Bwer. This has been the muss Ron, Hok
and Noui. Thanks for Peter Genetics. Enjoy the afternoon, See
you tomorrow
Welcome back to the Master on Hocknu those Hollywood nights.
This our next guest to know all about that, being
a former member of the Prince Media. Nathan Burdon, our
residents sporting guru. Good afternoon, good mate.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah, not bad. We haven't spoken for a few weeks.
But look we get straight into this. We've got the
Highlanders squad that's been announced this morning and from a
Southron viewpoint, how do you rate it?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yes, I guess it's sort of the team. There's probably
not too many surprises there from the thirty eight man squad.
Most of it had been signposted well ahead of time.
You can see that Jamie Joseph's looked to add a
little bit of experience to the team after taking a
very young team through last year's competition, and you know
(00:50):
the likes of Thomas Love and Lavenini, Angus Tabor bringing
those sorts of guys into the FOURD pack just to
beef up that experience a little bit more, because you
could tell you in terms of those young guys last
year and when they lost a bit of experience with
Hugh Renton and his injury and a fair but then
sort of fell on Timothy Tover Tover naway that you know,
(01:11):
they probably struggled from that leadership point of view.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Those outside backs look pretty dangerous, but the concern is
going to be getting the ball to the backs.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yeah you did, right, I think you know. And they're
going to be well served at nine. And it'll be
exciting to see if Dylan Pledger can sort of take
his New Zealand on the twenties and NPC form through
his Super Rugby. He'll you know, he'll get a bit
of chance to find his feet, no doubt. But number
ten a key position in any Super rugby team, and
(01:41):
cam Miller had such a great NPC as well, and
I guess for me probably one of the really positive
aspects was that he wasn't just kicking his goals, he
was also running the ball well, so you know that
was that was obviously a key basset of that successful
a Targo team. So that that boats well for the Highlanders.
I think they could take even you know, even an
(02:02):
eighty percent of bet through to Super Rugby, then the
Highlands would be much better for it.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
That was a difference of cam Miller twenty twenty five
MPC he compared to other seasons. I thought, like you say,
his goal kicking was on point, but the way he
hit the line at first five is what you want.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, absolutely, And you know they've beefed it up a
bit bringing Andrew Newstubb, who I don't really think of
him as a number ten but obviously did a pretty
good job of Canterbury this year in the NPC and
they managed to win a title. So they've got guys
that can do a job, whether it's the you know,
whether it's a Blue Ribbon number ten. You know, I
think there's plenty of opportunity there for a player to
(02:39):
put their hand up. But then by the same token,
they get one season and then Josh Jacob arrives down
from the Chiefs. So yeah, it's an interesting situation for
the Highness.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
The Yuill Blacks. I reckon this game is a banana skin.
They've never lost to Scotland, They've drawn with them a
couple of times. But if they're ever going to lose
to Scotland, don't ask me why, but I reckon this
could be the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Potentially, the biggest problem for the Scots might be themselves.
You know, I sort of think of them as a
team that are on the rise, whether they're on the
rise enough like a like a younger Irish team we're
a few years back when they were trying to knock
off that hecks of never having been in the All Blacks.
Whether the Scots actually believed that they can. I mean,
they probably should. This is a this is an All
Black team. That's just every game. I think it's sort
(03:24):
of the more questions they answer, the more questions get
asked as well. I'd almost given that game away. I
was pretty sure the Irish were going to be able
to finish this off in Chicago, but thankfully that bench
came on for the for the second Test in a row,
that bench came on and managed to get the job done.
And I guess the question for the All Blacks this
(03:44):
week will be they're going to have to draw on
that bench and actually start those guys rather than using
them for impact given some of the injuries they've gotten
the squad.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
And that's a concern for the Irish going forward. And
I think a few of their scribes are saying the
same thing this week. They've got no young players coming
through as such. Thinking about five years.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Ago, you had some question marks around Ireland and whether
they sort of you know, running around a bit on
on past glories and with some of those players have
potentially done their desk. But you know, by the same
token that you know that was the first test of
the year. You know, they definitely looked they looked rusty,
They looked like they were trying to play a reasonably
(04:22):
a reasonably one dimensional sort of a game just to
sort of get things going. And it was almost good
enough to beat us. So I wouldn't count that Irish
team out just yet.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
But that first half of rugby one of the worst
haids you'll ever see. Fifty to fifty five minutes to
play forty minutes of sport that should never happen.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
That was terrible. That was terrible. We've we've watched some
pretty average rugby and we're some of the stags performances
in the NPC, and they had some good games, don't
get me wrong. They gave us some memories, but some
of their other performances were pretty average. But see that
all Blacks first half, even the first hour was to
(05:00):
right up there with some rugby that you'd want to
forget pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
T tweent Ty the Black Caps going down rather surprisingly
to the West Indies last night. But Jacob Duffy, his
bowling rises, his bowling stocks just seemed to be on
the up. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
This West Indies team, who I don't know, he give
a lot about them, but they always seem to be
sort of lurching from one crisis to him to the
next to Winder's and obviously we sort of, you know,
we we sort of have our hearts open to them
at the moment with the weather crisis that's been happening
in Jamaica. But I think they arrived the very early
hours of Monday morning and then Wednesday night they're lining
(05:38):
up at Eden Park against a team that's already had
two series this early stage of this summer. Jacob dupp
at you outstanding with the ball, and probably yeah, and
he sort of bowled some of those hev overs as well,
and then obviously had to do a week job at
the with the bat. At the end, I'd given up
on them by that stage. At the I thought they
(05:58):
were well and truly gone. But Mitt Centner, who's just
who can just hit a massive ball, tried, you know,
almost got us across the line of the Captain's not
just seven or on short.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
But Aden Park is not a good place esthetically to
watch first class cracket when you're in the slips. Your
two through is the way to the boundary. I mean
even Duane Kyle of all people get at the boundary
and eating park right.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, it's Windy's medium paces almost almost pushing off the
pushing off the side screen. Weren't they last night? So
it is a it's an interesting ground. I don't have
any great love for it. I know there's a big
push on for it to be called our national stadium,
and there's a lot of people that want to make
that happen. But was up in Auckland at Labor weekend
(06:41):
and sort of just thinking, gee, how how good will
it be to have an actual national stadium down there
on the waterfront. It seems like that ships sail though unfortunately,
but Jed's it just seems like we've missed a trick there.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Bring on the stadium in christ Church. Nathan Brandon Residents
Sporting Guru, always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Lovely thanks Mane.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Laugh out loud with ag proud because life on the
land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
Sheerwell data working to help the livestock farmer. What do
you get when you cross the Atlantic with the Titanic
about halfway stood? Just remembering the state of emergency is
(07:22):
being lifted at nine point thirty am tomorrow morning, and
we'll have some more interviews as well, courtesy of South
and Rural Support Trusts in association with the Community Trust
South as well Steve Henderson on the show tomorrow. My
name's Andy Bwer. This has been the muss Ron, Hok
and Noui. Thanks for Peter Genetics. Enjoy the afternoon, See
you tomorrow
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