Highlanders switching focus

Self-centredness is not something generally embraced by top rugby teams - but Craig Newby wants to see more of it in the Highlanders today.

Newby, who is also holding responsible for looking after for the job at the back of the scrum, says the Highlanders need to lift their play to overcome a minor slump.

It has been a tough month for the Highlanders.

They have scored just four tries and lost three of four games. With the bye approaching - and games against three top-four sides - their season is at the crossroads.

"It's all about us this week," Newby said. "A lot of the time, we've sort of focused on the opposition and what they're doing.

"Now we want to see if we can do what we want to do.

"That will hopefully be good enough to get a win.

"We've let ourselves down with our execution, and we want to do some things a whole lot better."

Newby conceded a decent level of frustration within the squad at the Highlanders' inability to score tries.

Much of it came down to average execution and errors.

And he was hoping the old magic of Carisbrook would lift the side in only their third game in Dunedin in nine rounds.

"We're all feeling good. It makes a difference that we're at home. You can see the boys are feeling happy about being at home.

"We lost the last time we were here but the Highlanders have got a great tradition at Carisbrook. It's the House of Pain and we want to uphold that and be pretty ruthless.

"You look at our situation and we're sixth and we haven't had the bye. But things are not too bad when you look at the month we've had."

Newby did not see special significance in the fact it will be the first game against Australian opposition this season.

And he said he did not envision a permanent move to No 8 - a shift due to the injury to Andrew Blowers - but he was enjoying himself.

He now forms one-third of an extremely mobile loose forward trio with Josh Blackie and Tim Boys.

Blackie passed a fitness test on his tender elbow yesterday and will play today.

-OTAGO DAILY TIMES