Ellison confirms Japan move
11 Mar 2010
Keo.co.za brings you the latest Super 14 news from New Zealand.
Ellison confirms Japan move
Hurricanes utility back Tamati Ellison will move to a Japanese club at the end of the Super 14.
According to The Dominion Post, the 26-year-old Ellison has been offered a lucrative amount by an undisclosed club. Ellison has decided to put his family ahead of his World Cup ambitions, and will move to Japan before the New Zealand domestic competition.
Although it’s yet to be confirmed, Ellison has been linked to the Ricoh Rams where former Australian flyhalf Stephen Larkham is stationed.
Landers duo punished
Glenn Moore has left Adam Thomson and Michael Hobbs out of the Highlanders match 22 to face the Bulls on Saturday.
All Blacks flank Thomson and in-form pivot Hobbs were suspended for the trip to Loftus because they broke the team’s curfew following their 33-0 defeat to the Stormers last weekend.
This sees former first-choice flyhalf Matt Berquist starting while Steven Setephano slots in at eighthman.
Flank Tim Boys, prop Chris King and hooker Jason MacDonald all earn starts in place of John Hardie, Chris Newland and Jason Rutledge respectively. Hardie and Rutledge were named on the bench while Newland is out injured.
Sean Romans comes in for Jimmy Cowan (dislocated finger) and the latter’s brother, Scott, finds a place on the bench.
Highlanders – 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Kenny Lynn, 12 Jason Shoemark, 11 Fetu’u Vainikolo, 10 Matt Berquist, 9 Sean Romans, 8 Steven Setephano, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Tim Boys, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Chris King, 2 Jason MacDonald, 1 Jamie Mackintosh.
Subs: 16 Jason Rutledge, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Hayden Triggs, 19 John Hardie, 20 Scott Cowan, 21 Robbie Robinson, 22 James Paterson.
Smith returns for Canes
Glenn Cooper has made five changes to his team to face the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
All Blacks duo Conrad Smith and Tamati Ellison have recovered from their respective injuries and will start in place of centre Alapati Leiua and wing Andrew Taylor.
Pivot Willie Ripia also gets the nod ahead of Aaron Cruden, who had a disappointing performance against the Cheetahs last weekend.
In the forwards, flank Scott Waldrom and prop Jacob Ellison are promoted the starting line-up while Karl Lowe and John Schwalger are demoted to the wood.
Hurricanes – 15 Cory Jane, 14 Tamati Ellison, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 David Smith, 10 Willie Ripia, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Scott Waldrom, 6 Victor Vito, 5 Michael Paterson, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Jacob Ellison
Subs: 16 Dane Coles, 17 John Schwalger, 18 Jeremy Thrush, 19 Karl Lowe, 20 Tyson Keats, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Alapati Leiua.
This thread will be updated throughout the course of the day…
21 Comments
11 Mar 2010, 06:42 am
Is this guy mad?
He has just left out his two best players for a game against the Bulls at Loftus. I should have gone higher on my superbru prediction. My 20-odd point margin now seems a bit on the low side.
11 Mar 2010, 06:55 am
I’m not at all complaining…
@Tacitus:
Agree, Hobbs especially… realy impressed me.
This says a lot about their attitude for me… Maybe they never believed they can win this match…
11 Mar 2010, 07:29 am
Good to see Glen Moore standing up for principles. Team and principle above players. Must have been a very tough call – considering that Hobbs and Thompson (as mentioned above) are their best players by a country mile. And with Cowan back in NZ it is going to be even tougher.
This type of decision burns you short term, but is better for the team long term.
Well done Glen Moore.
Then on the Hurricances side. Feel very bad for Karl Lowe. He was awesome against the Cheetahs and now he gets benched.
11 Mar 2010, 07:41 am
@Tacitus: # 1
You know what this does to a team….???? it actually motivates them more to know that everyone thinks they are useless…
now the coach makes it clear you are a team man or you wont play (meaning rules are there for all)… players like to know where they stand and that ill discipline will not be tolerated…. (even though a player dropped might be the best in the team) … Players appreciate it when they know what the structures & rules are and that the coach will drop you if you are not up to it.
thus i see a massive improvement in their game coming this weekend!
11 Mar 2010, 08:50 am
Well done coach. No one is above the law, not like what is happening at Sharks where yellow cards are rewarded with more game time. Moore may lose this game, but he has won respect.
All any player wants is fairness from the coach and a chance to shine when he has put in the work. No superstars. Just team.
11 Mar 2010, 08:57 am
Adam Thompson was the best Highlander on the field against Stormers…Highlanders to get an almighty thumping from Bulls without Cowan,Thompson and Hobbs
11 Mar 2010, 09:02 am
Damn fools, but well done coach. Highlanders in for a hiding from hell now. Hope they get pay deducted as well. Good luck Highlanders!!
11 Mar 2010, 09:13 am
The Bulls still has to win the match on the playing. The Bulls themselves has brought in youngsters that played well. It can happens with the Highlanders as well.
11 Mar 2010, 09:46 am
sheesh… brave call
Thompson is a MASSIVE loss!
11 Mar 2010, 10:06 am
Thomson is the only loose forward in that side! The rest do fkall!
Thomson gets through so much work. The Landers are in for an even bigger hiding here.
11 Mar 2010, 10:26 am
50 points on superbru for me, Bulls will thrash them
11 Mar 2010, 10:35 am
@dWeePer: Yep…stranger things have happened…Bulls won’t have it all their own way at first,but will come thru’ strongly in the final quarter.
11 Mar 2010, 10:43 am
Huge message to the rest of the team and massive guilt on Calvin & Hobbs if the rest of the team gets a drumming by the Bulls!
11 Mar 2010, 11:39 am
@WP_: Yeah, i thought Thompson was one of a few impressive players in that outfit. Maybe he’s showing the rest of the team up?
11 Mar 2010, 11:53 am
With all this talk of the bulls scoring another 50 points i just hope it does not go the players heads as the bulls will not score 50 points every game,our defence is brittle i would rather see the bulls winning 35-10 rather than 50-35 as it would mean our defence was good and they can still win games.
11 Mar 2010, 11:58 am
Bulls slaughtered last time around so I expect it to be much closer at Loftus.
Mighty Highlanders by 10
11 Mar 2010, 12:04 pm
@Black Panther: Ha ha. On a serious note kudos to the Landers for dropping Thomson and Hobbs. A tough time to drop to of your best performing players when squad depth is not so good, but a strong stand that should be applauded. They had a tough job to start with and I hope they are not humiliated on the board as a result.
11 Mar 2010, 12:08 pm
‘ha ha’ ?
11 Mar 2010, 15:14 pm
CT really brings out the best in the touring teams.
11 Mar 2010, 20:17 pm
@Mary Lynn: 7. it was always going to be a hiding.
12 Mar 2010, 08:09 am
Ellison of to Japan… and still the dismantling of NZ rugby continues, what a conspiracy this is… rest of the world couldnt beat us, had to dilute the talent of our rugby…
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