Highlanders to unleash rising star against Chiefs
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger has revealed his team to face the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Aotearoa season opener on Saturday.
Mauger has selected debutants Sam Gilbert and Vilimoni Koroi in his matchday 23 for the match.
Rising star Gilbert, who will start on the right wing, played for Canterbury last season and for the Crusader Knights earlier this year. Koroi was training with the All Black Sevens team but has rejoined the Highlanders since the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Josh Ioane returns to the No.10 jersey and Mitch Hunt reverts to fullback, Ioane spent the earlier part of the season in the midfield but will be comfortable returning to flyhalf where he has spent most of his career.
Patelesio Tomkinson claims the midfield spot and will partner Rob Thompson, with the experienced Teihorangi Walden set to make his impact from the bench.
Pari Pari Parkinson has worked his way back to a starting lock position and will partner Josh Dickson. The team will be captained by experienced hooker Ash Dixon who starts ahead of Liam Coltman this week with both likely to see significant game time.
Highlanders: 15 Mitch Hunt, 14 Sam Gilbert, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Patelesio Tomkinson, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Marino Mikaele Tu’u, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Josh Dickson, 4 Paripari Parkinson, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon (captain), 1 Ayden Johnstone.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20 Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Teihorangi Walden, 23 Vilimoni Koroi.
Date: Saturday, June 13
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off: 19.05 (07.05 GMT)
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Brendon Pickerill, Ben O’Keeffe
TMO: James Doleman
