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Rebels 24 - 19 Highlanders
FULL-TIME!! What a game. Rebels hang on.
79 min: Frizell knocks the ball on over the line, heartbreak for the Highlanders late in the game.
76 min: Big pressure for the Rebels here, they lose the ball and the Highlanders get a run away, eventually the Rebels clear but its Highlanders ball.
73 min: Quade Cooper does very well to cause a maul, the cavalry come in and the Rebels win a scrum.
70 min: Highlanders give away a penalty on the Rebels line, big let off for the Rebels.
69 min: Penalty to the Highlanders - here come the Kiwis.
66 min: 49m penalty kick to come here, for the Rebels, it's wide.
64 min: TRY - Highlanders, after almost a dozen phases - Jackson Hemopo scores for the visitors, kick is good.
62 min: Neither side look like they want to take the game by the scruff of the neck, wide open still.
57 min: Scrappy from both teams, especially the Landers, Highlanders lineout.
55 min: Not rolling away, Highlanders win a penalty.
52 min: Highlanders have the ball in the Rebels half, they need to score soon you feel.
50 min: Penalty to the Rebels, Genia goes quickly, but the ball finds touch.
43 min: TRY - Rebels, genius kick from Cooper, a grubber through the back line and the bounce of the ball evades Bryn Gatland and it falls to Billy Meakes who scores. Kick is wide.
41 min: Back underway.
Half-time.
39 min: Highlanders get thier hands on the ball now, at the end of the first half.
34 min: Rebels scrum in really good field position, look for some Genia quick ball to get English involved.
30 min: TRY - REBELS Fantastic attack from the hosts, great inside ball to English and he is over for his second. Kick hits the post.
29 min: Great work at the breakdown again from the Rebels, earning another penalty.
26 min: TRY - Rebels, great patience from the Rebels, and Will Genia and Quade Cooper link up play sees Jack Maddocks go over for the try, great work from Cooper, Kick is good.
25 min: The Rebels win a great penalty at the breakdown, kick for the corner.
23 min: The Rebels go close but the Highlanders defence holds staunch, knock on Rebels.
22 min: The Highlanders win another penalty and will look to put more pressure on the Rebels who just can't get any ball.
18 min: Try - Highlanders, off the lineout the visitors drive the ball over the line and it's Siate Tokolahi who scores. Kick is good.
17 min: Another Landers penalty, kick to touch again.
15 min: Another penalty for the Highlanders, kick to the corner coming.
13 min: Stolen from the Rebels, great defence from the home team.
12 min: Penalty goes against the Rebels, good chance for the Landers to push for a try here.
9 min: TRY - Rebels, Tom English scores, Dane Haylett-Petty with some great work in the back line off the back of the scrum and the centre will score. Kick is good.
3 min: Try - Highlanders, Bryn Gatland with a fantastic cross-field kick and it finds Shannon Frizell who scores the try. Kick is wide.
2 min: Positive start for the home side with intent early on.
1 min: Kick-off!
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If you haven't seen it already, here's how the first game went down.
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's coverage of the Super Rugby match between the Rebels and the Highlanders.
The Rebels impressed in their first up win against the Brumbies and will look to continue that off a bye-week against a Smithless Highlanders.
The Southern men fought hard for a win over the improving Reds last week and come into week three two wins from two.
Pre-match banter: Highlanders rest All Blacks duo for Melbourne Rebels clash
All Blacks fullback/winger Ben Smith and halfback Aaron Smith have been rested for the Highlanders trip to Melbourne.
The undefeated New Zealand Super Rugby franchise plays the Rebels on Friday night looking to make it three wins from three.
Replacing Ben Smith at fullback is the impressive Josh Ioane who thrived at first-five against the Chiefs and the Reds.
Coach Aaron Mauger is stressing the need for improvement despite the perfect start.
"We are happy with the outcome of the first two games, with plenty of positives to build upon," Mauger said.
"There are a few areas for us to tidy up in both defence and attack."
The omissions of Ben and Aaron Smith, due to the All Blacks recovery protocol, has seen Mauger opt for a mixture of youth and experience in the hope of repelling an improved Melbourne side.
"I am happy with the depth within our squad and the competition for positions is helping drive our preparation and performance each week."
Halfback Folau Fakatava, hooker Ricky Jackson and prop Josh Iosefa-Scott are all set to make their Super Rugby debuts from the bench.
Bryn Gatland gets his first start at pivot while Ioane shows his versatility by covering fullback.
Josh McKay gets his season underway on the left wing and Thomas Umaga-Jensen returns in the midfield after a week off.
In the forwards, Elliot Dixon will start at number eight (replacing Luke Whitelock), while Pari Pari Parkinson will start in the middle row with the experienced Jackson Hemopo.
Ash Dixon will captain the team with both Whitelock and Ben Smith being rested.
TAB Odds: Rebels: $ 1.70 Highlanders: $2.12
Line-ups:
Rebels: 1-Tetera Faulkner, 2-Anaru Rangi, 3-Sam Talakai, 4-Luke Jones, 5-Matt Philip, 6-Angus Cottrell, 7-Brad Wilkin, 8-Isi Naisarani, 9-Will Genia, 10-Quade Cooper, 11-Marika Koroibete, 12- Billy Meakes, 13-Tom English, 14-Jack Maddocks, 15-Dane Haylett-Petty
Reserves: 16-Robbie Abel, 17-Matt Gibbon, 18-Jermaine Ainsley, 19-Adam Coleman, 20-Richard Hardwick, 21-Rob Leota, 22-Michael Ruru, 23-Reece Hodge
Highlanders: 1-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 2-Ash Dixon 3-Siate Tokolahi, 4-Jackson Hemopo, 5-Pari Pari Parkinson, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-Jamelentjes, 8-Elliot Dixon, 9-Kayne Hammington, 10-Bryn Gatland, 11-Josh McKay, 12-Teihorangi Walden, 13-Thomas Umaga-Jensen 14-Waisake Naholo, 15-Josh Ioane
Reserves: 16-Ricky Jackson, 17-Ayden Johnstone, 18-Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19-Tom Franklin, 20-Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Patelesio Tomkinson, 23-Marty Banks
