Can the Highlanders Turn It Around in 2014?

Colin Slade won't be leading the Highlanders revival this season

The Highlanders have named their squad for 2014 with plenty of changes as expected after their disastrous season.

Tony Woodcock, Jamie Mackintosh, Ma'a Nonu and Colin Slade have moved to pastures anew up north along with Kade Poki, Declan O'Donnell and Tamati Ellison who have moved on from life down South. Andrew Hore has also moved on albeit to the pastures of the Maniototo.

So what to make of this squad?

Whopper and Horey are gone now

Apart from looking a bit short in the front row particularly in the loosehead with no real specialists named - although expect the wider training squad to feature heavily here - the squad as usual has promise and the backline is probably as exciting as it could be even without Ma'a Nonu who you could probably say was a bad influence.

In my opinion, this will be the Highlanders starting XV and bench -

Chris King, Liam Coltman, Mattias Diaz, Brad Thorn, Jarrad Hoeata, Shane Christie, John Hardie, Nasi Manu, Aaron Smith, Hayden Parker, Patrick Osborne, Shaun Treeby, Malakai Fekitoa, Ben Smith, Willie Ripia

Subs - Brayden Mitchell, Ma'afu Fia, Joe Wheeler, TJ Ioane, Fumiaki Tanaka, Lima Sopoaga, Winston Stanley

Malakai Fekitoa comes down south with plenty of plaudits

The backline has plenty of potential with Malakai Fekitoa coming down from Auckland with lots of kudos from coaches - he has only moved because Ma'a Nonu has moved to the Blues meaning less opportunities with him. He and Treeby will form a very strong and powerful midfield. Complimented with the pace and skill of Ben Smith and Patrick Osborne along with the boot of Willie Ripia, the Highlanders definitely have a backline that can return to the exciting days of 2011 and 2012.

The front row must be sorted out soon though - it was a bit of a faux pas letting go of Jamie Mackintosh, Bronson Murray and Tony Woodcock without bringing in an established loosehead prop but as mentioned before, the wider training squad could be the key here and Jamie Joseph has to find a backup to Chris King given the bench calls for two props.

Can they improve? Well, Highlanders fans have always lived in hope that their team can do better than last and perhaps this team will do that again.

Jamie Joseph will be hoping his charges do as another mediocre season could be his last in the deep South.

Jamie Joseph has a big 2014 up ahead