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Hurricanes 25 - 22 Highlanders
Stay tuned for the match wrap, good win for you Hurricanes fans - classic little get out of jail job.
81 min: It's over!! The Hurricanes win! What a finish.
Penalty out in front for the Hurricanes.!!
80 min: The hooter goes as the Canes are hot on the attack.
78 min: Ardie Savea with some fantastic work on his 10m line to turn the ball over! Great work.
76 min: Great pressure here from the Highlanders - very close, Hurricanes win the ball back and Jordie Barrett throws a bad pass - knock on.
71 min: TRY - Ben Lam, great work from the Hurricanes backs and Lam is there to finish out wide. Kick is wide and we are square - great finish set here.
70 min: Penalty goes the way of the Hurricanes, probably need to score here.
66 min: Knock on from the Highlanders in a really daunting position, Canes scrum.
62 min: Penalty to the Hurricanes here, kick for goal coming.It's good. Highlanders 22-17 Hurricanes
60 min: TRY - Liam Coltman, a really simple move from the Highlanders off the lineout and the hooker goes over. Kick is good. Highlanders 22 - 14 Hurricanes.
59 min: Penalty to the Highlanders out in front, kick for touch coming.
57 min: Aw wow, really high tackle here on Thomas Umaga-Jensen and the medics are instantly on the field, penalty to the Highlanders, Umaga-Jensen is off the field - Waisake Naholo is on. Kick for touch from Banks.
55 min: Penalty against Mitchell for being offside, Kick for touch here from the Landers, bad kick - it doesn't go out.
51 min: TRY - Tomkinson, great line speed from Sio Tomkinson who rushes up on defence and gets an intercept from the Beauden Barrett pass. Kick is good. Highlanders 15 - 14 Hurricanes
49 min: Highlanders win a penalty from the scrum and Banks who has just come on for Ioane will look for touch.
46 min: Another great cross-field kick from Bauden to Jordie - good position here but the Highlanders win it back.
42 min: Hurricanes win a penalty on half-way. Jordie Barrett setting up for the kick, But Beauden steps up for the kick, it's short.
41 min: We are back underway here at the Cake Tin. Close match we have here, expect more of the same in the second 40.
Half-time.
40 min: TRY - Laumape, A kick from Josh Ioane doesn't go out and falls striaght to Beauden Barrett who kicks a cross-field nudge to Laumpape put wide. He gathers it and beats Ioane to score his second. Kick is good. Hurricanes 14 - 8 Highlanders.
38 min: An oppurtunity goes down the gurgler for the Hurricanes, Numbers out wide for the hosts but the pass is thrown out. Highlanders lineout.
34 min: Penalty goes the way of the Highlanders on their own line. Kick for touch.
31 min: Penalty out in front for the Highlanders, kick to come - it's good Highlanders 8-7 Hurricanes.
29 min: Penalty to the Highlanders for a late tackle of Fafita. Kick for touch.
27 min: TRY - Laumape, What a run from Mitchell - hits the gap steps Buckman and hands it off to the man who is fantastic form. Kick is good. Hurricanes 7-5 Highlanders.
26 min: Short 22 kick from the Hurricanes and Lam gathers it and wins the penalty, good result for the hosts.
24 min: Josh Dixon with a great run down the middle for the Highlanders, what a run, surely they kick for goal... yup kick to come. It'swide.
21 min: Impressive defence from the Highlanders - nothing going through them at the moment.
17 min: Great defence from the Highlanders, they force a turnover and it's their scrum feed. Just great defence from the Highlanders.
16 min: A bruising run from Ngani Laumape - bumping off two players - another penalty for the Hurricanes.
14 min: Another penalty against the Lander and the Hurricanes kick for touch again.
13 min: Hurricanes instantly win a penalty off the re-start and they kick for touch.
11 min: TRY - Aaron Smith - The Highlanders pile on the pressure in scrum time and they get the turnover, Aaron Smith collects the ball and goes over for the first try. Kick is wide, Highlanders 5 -0 Hurricanes
9 min: What a run from Tavita Li - fends off the former best player in the world - Beauden Barrett, Lineout for the Landers but they knock it on, Canes scrum on their line.
6 min: Chase Tiatia makes a good break for the Canes after a kick through from Ioane. Landers lineout and they've won it.
5 min: Pressure eased after a knock on - Landers scrum 22 out from their line.
4 min: Penalty for the Canes - player hit in the lineout, kick for touch to come.
2 min: Great run early on from Jordie Barrett, but the Canes knock it on - Landers scrum.
1 min: Kick off here at Westpac Stadium.
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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and the Highlanders from Westpac Stadium.
This should be one of the matches of the round this week - both teams are back to full strength with Ben and Aaron Smith returning for the Landers.
Pre-match banter: Jordie Barrett returns to Hurricanes for Highlanders clash
The Hurricanes have made a pair of changes to their starting side to take on the Highlanders in Wellington on Friday.
After missing last week's win over the Brumbies, Jordie Barrett comes back into the run-on team in the less familiar number 14 jersey.
Barrett started the Hurricanes' opening two games at fullback, before being rested in accordance with All Blacks policy during the 43-13 win over the Brumbies in Palmerston North on Friday.
Jeff To'omaga-Allen slots back in as first-choice starting tighthead prop, rotating in for Ben May, who shifts to the bench.
Coach John Plumtree said he was eager to give the impressive Chase Tiatia another go in the custodian role, while also affording Barrett a chance to work on his versatility.
"There were obviously some tough calls when it came to selecting the side," Plumtree said. "But we were really impressed with the way Chase handled his debut and he has been rewarded for that."
Barrett's 1.96m frame also brings some additional height to the Hurricanes' outside backs, which Plumtree believes could be key in defusing the Highlanders' favoured kick and chase tactics.
Looking to rebound after a gut-wrenching loss to the Melbourne Rebels last weekend, the southerners will be galvanised by the return of All Blacks duo Ben Smith and Aaron Smith.
"The Highlanders are going to be a massive challenge for us, like all New Zealand derbies are, but we are very keen on maintaining our proud record at Westpac Stadium in front of our home fans."
TAB Odds: Hurricanes $1.28 Highlanders $3.60
Line-ups:
Hurricanes: 1-Chris Eves, 2-Dane Coles, 3-Jeff To'omaga-Allen, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Liam Mitchell, 6-Vaea Fifita, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Ben Lam, 12-Ngani Laumape, 13-Matt Proctor, 14-Jordie Barrett, 15-Chase Tiatia
Reserves: 16-Asafo Aumua, 17-Fraser Armstrong, 18-Ben May, 19-Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20-Reed Prinsep, 21-Richard Judd, 22-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23-Vince Aso
Highlanders: 1-Ayden Johnstone, 2-Liam Coltman, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-Pari Pari Parkinson, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-Jackson Hemopo, 7-James Lentjes, 8-Luke Whitelock, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Josh Ioane, 11-Tevita Li, 12-Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 13-Patelesio Tomkinson, 14-Richard Buckman, 15-Ben Smith
Reserves: 16-Ash Dixon, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19-Tom Franklin, 20-Elliot Dixon, 21-Kayne Hammington, 22-Marty Banks, 23-Waisake Naholo
