Rugby: Early momentum key says Mackintosh

Jamie Mackintosh will lead the Highlanders this season. Photo / Getty Images

Skipper Jamie Mackintosh sees early momentum as vital for the Highlanders as they seek to turn around their Super rugby struggles of recent years.

The franchise, who have a new coaching team in southern stalwarts Jamie Joseph and Simon Culhane and a much-changed squad, haven't finished in the top half of the competition table since making the semifinals in 2002.

They have also been the worst performed of the New Zealand sides in each of the past six seasons.

With Joseph and Culhane looking to build a new team culture, Mackintosh believed a top-six playoff spot was a realistic goal.

"But first and foremost, we want to play some good hard rugby and get respect back in our jersey," he said.

"That's only done with hard work."

As for making the post-season cut, the prop said setting an early platform was the key.

"I think this competition is a lot about momentum -- you start playing well and get on a roll, and you might have five or six good games in a row," he said.

"Everyone talks about having a good start, but for us it's crucial. We need to play well and perform in our first three weeks to show the public and other teams we are here to play and, if you don't respect us, we're going to beat you."

The Highlanders kick off the expanded Super 15 against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night.

They are then at home to the Chiefs before heading off to South Africa to face defending champions the Bulls and runners-up the Stormers on consecutive weekends.

While Mackintosh is optimistic of a big year, the Highlanders have very much a look of the new about them.

Fourteen of their players will put on the franchise jersey for the first time, while eight will make their Super rugby debuts.

The Highlanders will also start behind the eight-ball in terms of injuries, with star recruit Colin Slade (jaw) and test lock Tom Donnelly (shoulder) both out for the first half-dozen weeks.

"You look at the other New Zealand teams and, as far as resources and talent pool are concerned, clearly they are ahead of us," Mackintosh said.

"What's our point of difference? Hopefully we've got the foundations in place so we're going to be a tight group of guys who want to tackle for each other and work hard for 80 minutes to win games."

Mackintosh said plenty of effort had gone into making the large number of players brought in from outside the Highlanders' region feel at home.

The coaches and the senior players had also looked to dampen the rivalry between the two main provinces.

Whereas in the past, an Otago-Southland split might have occurred during difficult times, "this year we've set the foundations so that, when the going gets tough, we stick together as a group".

"We have a real drive about the culture in our team."

- NZPA