Highlanders adding attack to equation

Chris Smylie. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Striking the right balance between defensive security and attacking prowess will be the key for the Highlanders this year.

Last season they made themselves a difficult team to crack.

Only the Waratahs were more miserly than the Highlanders' 214 points and 24 tries conceded; but the Dunedin franchise mustered a meagre 21 tries, the poorest return of the competition.

Yet they were in the semifinal hunt until losing their last three games, which left them eighth.

Coach Greg Cooper, in his third year at the helm, believes the defensive rigidity is intact and hopes the arrival of Roy Kinikinilau and Vilimoni Delasau will add some pace and finishing power out wide.

"The key ingredient will be balance," Cooper said.

"We showed a lot of character last year in our defensive effort, and while our attacking structures were okay, we just lacked a bit of opportunity to use it.

"You have to be able to defend stoutly but also use the ball wisely, and we were probably nowhere where we wanted to be in attack."

The Highlanders have lost a block of players from last year - and the luckless Paul Williams, out since 2003 when he badly broke a leg, is gone even before the first round with more problems with his leg - but their tight five looks good, armed as it is with three All Blacks in old head Anton Oliver, tighthead maestro Carl Hayman and rising lock James Ryan, with useful loosehead options and much improved Tom Donnelly partnering Ryan.

Josh Blackie, Craig Newby and Andrew Blowers will offer pace and strength, Blowers back after several years in England and, briefly, Japan.

He will miss tomorrow night's visit to Christchurch as he recovers from a head knock, but his progress from rangy young All Black 10 years ago to mature, hardnosed veteran will be one of the points of interest this season.

Cooper has two good halfbacks in Jimmy Cowan and Chris Smylie, but although he welcomes two quality performers, he wants one to become the dominant figure.

"They do have to be on their toes, and if one person is not at the top of his game, we have to look to give the other an opportunity. Both are strong runners, both are aggressive, and whoever starts will know there's a high chance there will be impact coming off the bench.

"But I hope through the campaign we don't have a situation where one doesn't become dominant because you don't want chopping and changing week in week out."

Nick Evans got his All Black spot back late last year and will be influential in steering the side round the park. Cooper will be praying he stays injury-free as he's skinny on No 10 cover.

Midfield pair Seilala Mapusua and Neil Brew had strong form last year, and Ben Blair is a metronomic goalkicker and speedy attacker from the back.

The Highlanders have made the semifinals four times, but only once gone onto the final, when the Crusaders beat them at Carisbrook in 1999.

To get there again, they must win at home, but before that happens they have to get some points on the road, and that will be on a three-game trip to South Africa, two of which are at altitude in Bloemfontein and Pretoria.

Of the three New Zealand franchises overdue to stamp their mark in the playoffs, the Highlanders seem to have the toughest job this year.


Key asset

* Chris Smylie
1.82m, 93kg
Age: 23
Super 12 games: 0
Position: Halfback

He's set for a decent ding-dong with Jimmy Cowan for the No 9 shirt.

Smylie had a fine NPC last year, ousting Danny Lee as first choice, scoring two fine tries in the semifinal win over Canterbury and being named a finalist in the NPC division one player of the year.

The Auckland-born Smylie has that combative streak all decent halfbacks need, but must build on what he achieved last year. Cowan, who gets first dibs tomorrow night, won't lie down. It should make for a fascinating contest. 


Highlanders - Tough climb to start

* How does the draw look?

Tough. The Crusaders and Blues to start, then three games in the republic. That could conceivably be played five, lost five, and they can forget the semifinals. If they can crib some points out of that lot, they have three games on the bounce in Dunedin that will be must-wins. They finish in Canberra and Townsville.

* Where will the tries come from?

Apart from belting six against the Sharks in Durban, they were hard to come by last year. They have a couple of strong, fast runners out wide in Roy Kinikinilau and Vilimoni Delasau, and Matt Saunders made good progress in last year's NPC. There are tackle-breaking midfielders. They have the forward pack to deliver opportunities. They simply must take them.

* Is there enough depth?

Up front, they'll be okay. Out the back, Nick Evans' continuing good health is critical. There's no hiding they are thin on experience in the back division, and that might mean overworking some of the backs. Still, it's only 13 games ... 

* Highlanders squad:

Backs: Ben Blair, Vilimoni Delasau, Matt Saunders, Roy Kinikinilau, Richard Kahui, Callum Bruce, Ben Smith, Seilala Mapusua, Neil Brew, Ryan Bambry, Nick Evans, Jimmy Cowan, Chris Smylie.

Forwards: Andrew Blowers, Josh Blackie, Tim Boys, Hale T-Pole, Craig Newby, Filipo Levi, Hoani Macdonald, James Ryan, Tom Donnelly, Clarke Dermody, Nick White, Chris King, Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver, Jason Macdonald.

New arrivals: Kinikinilau, Bambry, Kahui, Macdonald, Smith, Bruce, Smylie, Blowers, T-Pole, Boys and White.

Departures: Glen Horton, Hayden Pedersen, Ryan Glover, Anthony Tuitavake, Jason Schoemark, Cameron McIntyre, Danny Lee, Paul Miller, Grant Webb, Colin Bourke, Carl Hoeft, Mahonri Schwalger.

Pre-season: lost to Chiefs 38-21, bt Reds 22-14