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Highlanders 22 - 28 Rebels
81min - Full time - the Rebels kick it into touch and that's it! It's all over.
81min - Highlanders penalty, kick to touch, last chance.
79min - This time, it's the Highlanders who commit a penalty - Nareki takes a man out in the air and he is given a yellow.
77min - Penalty comes to the Highlanders, they look to work their way down the field.
75min - Knock on from the Rebels, they are looking to ice this game, but the Highlanders wont give up here.
71min - Penalty won at the breakdown Thwaites wins the penalty and the Highlanders will kick for touch.
68min - The Highlanders kick the penalty. Highlanders 22 - 28 Rebels.
68min - The lineout isn't straight and now the Highlanders make a break, and win a penalty- a double blow and Meakes is sent to the bin this time - a yellow for the Rebels.
66min - Penalty to the Rebels and they kick for the corner, they'll look to strike with the man advantage.
65min - Just a minute after he scored the try, Scott Gregory is sent to the bin, completely accedental but he's jumped into a player in the air - yellow card.
63min - TRY - Highlanders. They spin the ball to the right and Gregory is there to score. Kick hits the post.
61min - The Rebels are inches away from another intercept, instead, it's a knock on! Highlanders scrum.
60min - Bad lineout from the Highlanders and an oppurtunity goes begging there.
56min - The Highlanders go close there, but a bad pass from Coltman cost them, Rebels scrum.
52min - TRY - Rebels, it's another intercept try and it's Kellaway who scores! He goes another 70m to score. Kick is good. Highlanders 14 - 28 Rebels.
50min - Great scrum from the Rebels and they win a penalty and clear.
48min - The Highlanders score, but it's pulled back for a forward pass against Aaron Smith.
46min - Penalty for the Highlanders, they opt for the scrum.
44min - Naisarani with another knock on, Highlanders scrum.
41min - Back underway.
Half time.
40min - Lovely try! Highlanders. Flawless try their, Dixon gets the offload to the prop who passes to Parete and he flicks it out the back to Aaron Smith who scores the try. Kick is good. Highlanders 14 - 21 Rebels.
38min - Great work from the Highlanders, they shift the ball left and Nareki makes a break, fends a player then is finally tackled out 5m from the line.
36min - DHP kick it deep and the Highlanders scramble and are able to win a penalty.
34min - Knock on from the Rebels, Highlanders scrum.
30min - Highlanders captain James Lentjes is off the field, brutal injury, wow - his ankle shouldn't be like that!
26min - Knock on called against the Rebels from the kick off and the Highlanders will have a scrum feed.
24min - TRY - Highlanders are in, they win a turnover, shift the ball right and Josh McKay is in for a much-needed try. Kick is good. Highlanders 7 - 21 Rebels
The Highlanders are in real trouble here.
21min - TRY - Rebels, try against the run of play, Hunt throws a wild pass to Ioane who knocks it on, it falls to Andrew Kellaway who runs 70m to score. Kick is good. Highlanders 0 - 21 Rebels.
19min - Penalty, late tackle on Aaron Smith, the Highlanders will clear.
15min - The Highlanders win a penalty and Smith takes off quickly, then Hunt knocks the ball on - that's not great from the hosts.
13min - TRY - Rebels, huge lineout drive from the visitors and they go over, Anaru Rangi scores! Kick is good. Highlanders 0 - 14 Rebels.
13min - Penalty Rebels and they kick for the corner.
11min - Toomua is causing havoc here, they get another penalty - they're all over the Highlanders here.
8min - TRY - Rebels, lovely from the Rebels, Toomua gets an offload to Billy Meakes and he scores. Kick is good.
6min - Rebels win a penalty and they kick for the corner.
5min - But the Rebels turn the ball over and are 5m away.
4min - Big chance from the Highlanders, Thomson makes the break and they go 60m. Rebels on the back foot here.
1min - Sloppy from the kickoff from the Highlanders, the Rebels go close but a grubber through goes to Aaron Smith, the Highlanders clear.
1min - Kick off here in Dunedin.
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby match between the Highlanders and the Rebels from Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
Pre-match chat: Highlanders' Manaaki Selby-Rickit returns from ban against Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne Rebels will confront a new-look Highlanders' pack when they set out to bag their first Super Rugby win in Dunedin on Friday.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger has overhauled half of his starting eight from last week's 33-13 hammering at the hands of the Crusaders, highlighted by the omission of All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizell.
Teariki Ben-Nicholas will start among the loose forwards in place of Frizell, who is sitting out one of his two prescribed rest weeks for New Zealand's test players.
The bench features lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit, who is poised to make a contentious Super Rugby debut.
The 23-year-old Southlander pleaded guilty to an assault charge arising from an incident last September. He was convicted and ordered to pay his victim $8000 reparation for emotional harm.
Selby-Rickit, the son of former All Black Hud Rickit, recently completed the serving of a New Zealand Rugby ban.
An overhauled tight five features the promotions of lock Jack Whetton, prop Daniel Lienert-Brown and hooker Ash Dixon, who like Ben-Nicholas, will all make their first starts this season for the Highlanders.
The only change to the backline sees specialist fullback Josh McKay become the fourth different player to start on the right wing this year, replacing former Queensland Reds flyer Chris Kuridrani.
The Highlanders have won all four home matches against the Rebels, most recently a 43-37 thriller in the final round of 2018 which prevented the Australian side from reaching the playoffs for the first time.
Highlanders: 1-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 2-Ash Dixon, 3-Siate Tokolahi, 4- Jesse Parete, 5-Jack Whetton, 6-Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 7-James Lentjes (c), 8-Marino Mikaele Tu'u, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Jona Nareki, 12-Josh Ioane, 13-Rob Thompson, 14-Josh McKay, 15-Michael Collins
Reserves: 16-Scott Gregory, 17-Teihorangi Walden, 18-Kayne Hammington, 19-Dillon Hunt, 20-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 21-Jeff Thwaites, 22-Ayden Johnstone, 23-Liam Coltman
Rebels: 15. Dane Haylett-Petty © 14. Andrew Kellaway 13. Tom English 12. Billy Meakes 11. Marika Koroibete 10. Matt To’omua 9. Ryan Louwrens 8. Isi Naisarani 7. Richard Hardwick 6. Angus Cottrell 5. Matt Philip 4. Gideon Koegelenberg 3. Jermaine Ainsley 2. Anaru Rangi 1. Matt Gibbon
Reserves: 16. Jordan Uelese 17. Cameron Orr 18. Cabous Eloff 19. Ross Haylett-Petty 20. Rob Leota 21. Frank Lomani 22. Michael Wells 23. Andrew Deegan
