Saunders 'unlucky' to miss selection

BY LOGAN SAVORY IN AUCKLAND

Highlanders coach Glenn Moore declared Matt Saunders as very unlucky to miss out on Super 14 selection yesterday, saying the Stags wing had put a strong case forward.

The five New Zealand Super 14 teams revealed their squads for the 2010 season at a function in Auckland yesterday.

Southland gained its best-ever Super 14 representation, with 11 players making the Highlanders, and Jason Kawau again being drafted to the Hurricanes.

The Stags were extremely close to having another with Saunders all but gaining selection.

The Southland Times understands Moore's preference was to include Saunders ahead of Fetu'u Vainikolo in the 2010 squad.

However, Vainikolo is contracted to the New Zealand Rugby Union to the end of next year and it is believed the NZRU encouraged the Highlanders to select the Otago wing in the squad.

Moore publicly backed the out-of-sorts Vainikolo yesterday but didn't shy away from the fact his selection was a close call.

"He knows he is extremely, extremely lucky," Moore said.

Vainikolo's selection comes at the expense of Saunders, who Moore believed had a strong 2009 Air New Zealand Cup. "Matt Saunders is very unlucky, I thought he had a really good year for Southland, he was very busy, he didn't score a lot of tries but he was very influential in coming into the backline off his wing, big work rate, so, yeah, he's very unlucky," Moore said.

Midfielder Johnny Leota was the other player Moore highlighted as being unlucky to miss out, saying his omission came mainly because he wanted to carry an extra forward rather than another back.

The Highlanders coach also confirmed yesterday he would have liked to have included Stags vice-captain Jason Kawau in his squad.

However, the Hurricanes also wanted his services and it was left to Kawau to make the decision – he opted for the Hurricanes.

Moore indicated strongly that Jayden Hayward would be the preferred starting second five-eighth in 2010 with either Jason Shoemark or Kendrick Lynn partnering him in the midfield.

TALKING POINTS

Southland has 12 players contracted for the 2010 Super 14 season.

Stags players Joe Tuineau, John Hardie and Robbie Robinson gained their first Super 14 contracts.wNew Southland recruit James Paterson was expected to be selected in the Highlanders.

The Highlanders drafted in four players with Canterbury No 8 Nasi Manu probably the best pick up.

Throughout the five New Zealand squads a total of nine players were drafted with the most notable Canterbury's Stephen Brett heading to the Blues.

- © Fairfax NZ News