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Highlanders 19 Crusaders 34
Highlanders - Gilbert try, Hunt conversion & 4 penalties
Crusaders - Reece 2, Williams, Jordan tries, Burke 2 conversions & 2 penalties, Hickey 2 conversions
Second half
40th minute - Highlanders win a penalty in their own territory as time expires and try to break upfield. Banks grubbers ahead, but they're playing under advantage, after the Crusaders don't retire 10 metres.
Marshall throws into a lineout, but the Crusaders steal it and Havili kicks to touch. Thats' the ballgame, folks - a comfortable looking win for the Crusaders, but they only drew away in the final quarter.
39th minute - Crusaders win another scrum penalty on their 22 and a chance to clear.
38th minute - Lentjes goes down after a head clash, but he's able to walk off, looking groggy.
37th minute - TRY to Williams
Crusaders are just short of the line and Hall looks right, where Williams is charging across. The ball goes loose, but replays confirm he grounded safely for the bonus try.
Hickey converts, CRU 34-19
36th minute - Crusaders are five metres out and the forwards drive forward.
35th minute - Highlanders upset the lineout and win a penalty. They try to break upfield, but the ball is spilt and Bridge charges into the 22.
34th minute - Crusaders win the lineout and maul towards the line. Barrett drops the ball, but they're playing under advantage.
Hickey kicks to the corner for another lineout five metres out.
31st minute - Garden-Bachop takes the ball over halfway, but the Crusaders win the breakdown and Jordan finds touch inside the Highlanders 22. After some confusion, the kick is deemed a 50-22, so Crusaders throw-in.
30th minute - Crusaders overcook an attacking lineout throw and Highlanders clear. Bridge brings the ball back and Hall chips over the top, but it goes touch-in-goal.
29th minute - That was a backbreaker, coming after the Highlanders blew a lineout throw in the Crusaders half. Kellow makes his debut for the Crusaders.
26th minute - TRY to Jordan
Playing under advantage, Jordan hoofs the ball downfield and when the Crusaders get the ball back, Bridge counterattacks and finds Jordan in support. He carries two tacklers the last 10 metres to the line.
Hickey converts, CRU 27-19
25th minute - From the scrum, Havili left-foots for touch outside the 22.
24th minute - Highlanders pour onto attack, but when the ball is spread, Paea loses the ball in a tackle.
23rd minute - Big call from the Crusaders, as Hickey replaces Burke at first-five.
Evans takes the ball of the back of the Highlanders scrum and he gives them momentum into the 22.
22nd minute - Nice tackle from Banks on Jordan and the Crusaders are struggling to clear. Havili drills a kick into the head of teammate Strange and the Highlanders are back on attack.
21st minute - After a game of forceback, Jordan finds a half gap on halfway and the Crusaders go onto attack, but the Highlanders win a turnover.
20th minute - Long passes along the backline give Fainga'anuku some space out left, but he's guided into touch.
18th minute - Jager and Matera have gone for the Crusaders, replaced by Williams and Strange. Havili drops out long, but Mikaele-Tu'u charges forward.
Selby-Rickit tries to transfer to Dickson, but the ball goes forward. Selby-Rickit replaced by Bryn Evans.
17th minute - Garden-Bachop takes the ball into the Crusaders 22, as the Highlanders build phases. Hunt goes close, looks to be tackled short, but Fraser will review...
Reviews show the ball is held up, so goal-line dropout for the Crusaders.
16th minute - Highlanders looking for a way through the Crusaders defence and Rhys Marshall, on for Coltman, stumbles through a gap.
15th minute - Hunt's kick is deflected and all his chasers are onside. Burke tidies up, but a pass goes behind Fainga'anuku and he knocks on into touch.
14th minute - From the kickoff, Jordan booms a clearing kick deep into Highlanders territory. Highlanders win the lineout and Frizzell produces another storming run.
13th minute - Burke slots the goal, CRU 20-19
11th minute - Bower replaces Moody in the Crusaders front row and the scrum immediately responds, winning a penalty on the 22 to give Burke a chance to retake the lead.
10th minute - Whitelock wins the lineout and Crusaders gather on the 22. Ten phases later, they're still on the 22, but a pass goes behind Moody, who knocks on.
Ninth minute - After several phases, McAlister finds Burke slicing into the 22, but Highlanders turn the ball over and Hunt clears. Smith was the thief there, but the lineout will still be inside their 22.
Smith is replaced by Fakatava, even earlier than last week. Hall replaces Drummond at halfback for the Crusaders.
Seventh minute - From the kickoff, Highlanders assemble in their own 22 and Banks kicks long, but only finds Jordan. Crusaders counterattack and threaten out right.
Sixth minute - Hunt is just inside the 40m and on an angle, but slots the penalty, HIG 19-17
Fourth minute - Drummond puts up another high kick, but Banks gathers this one well and Whitelock is penalised for leaving his feet at the breakdown. Banks and Lentjes let Whitelock know they're not standing for that behaviour, as Hunt lines up a kick at goal...
Third minute - Hunt fields a kick from Jordan and darts upfield, but Aaron Smith is tackled into touch. Crusaders take quick lineout and try to break out of their half, but Highlanders steal the ball and Smith puts up a box kick.
Second minute - Barrett steals the ball at the breakdown and Burke clears deep. Banks returns the favour, but Gilbert knocks on, as he chases.
First minute - On top of Inga Tuigamala's death today, we're now learning of the death of Joeli Vidiri, another devastating winger for the All Blacks and Blues. A sad day indeed :-(
Hunt kicks off and Drummond puts up a box kick. Banks leaps high, but can't take the ball and lands awkwardly.
Meanwhile, Frizzell storms up the centre of the field and Highlanders on attack.
First half
40th minute - Crusaders building phases and playing under advantage. Fraser brings them back for Dickson not releasing in the tackle.
Burke lines up a shot at goal, as the half ends, and is on target, CRU 17-16
39th minute - Fraser awards a free-kick from the scrum and Hunt stabs a kick downfield, looking for space, but not finding it. Crusaders pour back onto attack.
38th minute - Burke kicks off short and Crusaders knock on, as they chase. Highlanders scrum in midfield.
37th minute - And de Groot is finally leaving the field, replaced Daniel Lienert-Brown. Highlanders win a lineout on the 22 and Fraser pings the Crusaders for offside.
Hunt lines up a kick at goal and slots it, HIG 16-14
35th minute - Garden-Bachop spots a gap and heads towards the line. When the ball goes left, Hunt darts towards the line, throws a dummy, but is tackled into touch by McAlister.
34th minute - From the scrum, Smith throws a long pass to midfield and the Highlanders forwards go to work.
32nd minute - De Groot is down again. Crusaders win the lineout, but Dickson smothers the ball and forces a turnover.
Highlanders have an attacking scrum inside the 22.
31st minute - Highlanders on attack after their kickoff. Coltman rumbles into the 22... Hunt tries to put Paea down the left sideline, but nice tackle by Burke puts him in touch.
29th minute - TRY to Reece
Whitelock wins the lineout and Crusaders maul towards the tryline. The ball moves right and Jordan gives Reece enough space to score his second try.
Burke slots the conversion from out wide, CRU 14-13
27th minute - Jordan is taken in a tackle by Paea, but the Highlanders dive into the ruck off their feet and are penalised. Burke finds touch inside Highlanders territory.
Grace wins the lineout and the Crusaders maul towards the 22. Fraser penalises the Highlanders and Burke kicks to the corner for an attacking lineout.
26th minute - Jordan puts up a high kick into the 22, but Banks calls for the mark, then kicks deep.
25th minute - Burke lines up a penalty kick from 40m out and drifts it left.
24th minute - From the scrum, Hunt stabs a kick upfield, but Ennor brings the ball back into Highlanders territory and Fraser catches the defensive team offside.
22nd minute - Highlanders win a defensive lineout and Hunt clears beyond the 22.
Barrett wins the lineout, but their attack is halted, when Moody knocks on.
21st minute - Havili kicks towards Reece on the wing, but the ball dribbles into touch. De Groot is down for the Highlanders, but he hobbles back to the huddle.
20th minute - Timu has been replaced by Marty Banks, so there will be a reshuffle at the back.
Crusaders are not getting into their stride and are back inside the 22, mounting pressure.
19th minute - Barrett steals the ball off Smith at the base of a ruck and Jordan kicks laterally to Reece, who kicks ahead. Hunt scrambles his kick to touch.
18th minute - Highlanders kick off a man short, with Timu receiving treatment on the sideline.
16th minute - TRY to Reece
Havili carves up midfield and Crusaders pour into the 22, winning a breakdown penalty just metres out from the line. While everyone stands around, wondering what to do, Reece sneaks in, kicks to himself and charges over from close range.
Burke converts, HIG 13-7
15th minute - Hunt finds touch on halfway and Crusaders mount an attack off the lineout. Good defence so far from the Highlanders.
13th minute - Hunt slots the kick from in front, HIG 13-0
12th minute - Highlanders win the lineout and Smith puts a little kick into the box, lost forward and regathered by an offside Crusaders player. Play continues under advantage and eventually comes back for the penalty.
Ref Mike Fraser warns Crusaders captain Scott Barrett that there are too many infringements, but he might not have heard over the sound of his heavy breathing. Hunt lines up another shot at goal...
11th minute - From the kickoff, Crusaders get the ball back, but Jordan runs straight into the forwards on halfway and cannot release the ball. Hunt kicks to touch again for another attacking lineout.
Ninth minute - TRY to Gilbert
From the scrum, Highlanders run a couple of decoy runners and bring Gilbert off his wing towards the posts, taking the pass from Hunt and outpacing the last defender. Hunt converts, HIG 10-0
Eighth minute - Coltman throws short to Aaron Smith at the front of the lineout, but Drummond manages to get a hand in there to disrupt the return pass. Highlanders scrum on the 22 near touch.
Seventh minute - Highlanders inching upfield and into the Crusaders half. Fainga'anuku fails to release in a tackle and Hunt kicks to touch for another attacking lineout.
Sixth minute - Crusaders regain possession from the kickoff and Drummond puts up a high kick, fielded by Garden-Bachop.
Fifth minute - Hunt slots the easiest of kicks, HIG 3-0
Third minute - Off the scrum, Paea runs a punishing angled line in midfield and wins another penalty for the Highlanders. This is right in front of the posts on the 22, so Hunt will line up a kick at goal...
Second minute - Grace is pinged for that high tackle and is lucky to escape with just a penalty. Hunt kicks to touch for an attacking lineout on the 22. Crusaders steal the throw, but knock on, so Highlanders scrum.
First minute - Burke kicks off for the Crusaders, Smith replies with a box kick and Jordan loses the ball back to the Highlanders. Grace puts on a high tackle and we may hear more about that...
7pm - Of course, the rugby world was rocked today by the death of Inga 'The Winger' Tuigamala - one of the real All Blacks legends - at the age of 52.
Teams will observe a moment's silence before their Super Rugby matches this weekend.
Under COVID-19 conditions, the stadium will be empty tonight, a weird environment, given the fact Otago University students would normally cram into 'The Zoo'.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Highlanders and Crusaders at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The southern neighbours experienced contrasting success in the competition's opening round last week, with the Crusaders cruising home over the Hurricanes and the Highlanders unable to overcome the Chiefs.
But last time these two bitter rivals met, the Highlanders achieved a massive upset, overwhelming their neighbours 33-12 on their home turf during Super Rugby Aotearoa last April.
That result wasn't enough to change the course of history - the Crusaders went on to secure their fifth straight Super Rugby crown and the Highlanders fell short of the final, although they would eventually reach the final of Super Rugby Trans Tasman, losing to the Blues.
Stung by their Trans Tasman 'failure' - they missed the final on a points-difference countback - the Christchurch-based side have returned with another star-studded line-up, adding one of the world's toughest international loose forwards, Argentinian Pablo Matera, for good measure.
They're missing a couple of key players, but have depth to burn, while the Highlanders will rely heavily on the dogged determination of captain Aaron Smith at halfback.
Despite his mantle as arguably the world's best No.9, Smith was replaced relatively early last week by understudy Folau Fakatava, who will apply heat to World Rugby and the national selectors for a spot in the All Blacks this year.
TAB Odds: Crusaders $1.20, Highlanders $4.20
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Liam Coltman, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-James Lentjes, 8-Gareth Evans, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Josh TImu, 12-Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 13-Fetuli Paea, 14-Sam Gilbert, 15-Connor Garden-Bachop
Reserves: 16-Rhys Marshall, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Josh Hohneck, 19-Bryn Evans, 20-Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Marty Banks, 23-Hugh Renton
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Brodie McAlister, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Samuel Whitelock, 5-Scott Barrett, 6-Pablo Matera, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Fergus Burke, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12- David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Shilo Klein, 17-George Bower, 18-Tamaiti Williams, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Corey Kellow, 21-Bryn Hall, 22-Simon Hickey, 23-George Bridge
'Have a crack at it': Highlanders halfback Fakatava picks All Blacks over Tonga
Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava has his sights locked on representing New Zealand and the All Blacks at test level, rather than his native Tonga.
At the start of 2021, Fakatava was one of the hottest prospects of Super Rugby Aotearoa and had many tipping him as an All Blacks botler, with TJ Perenara unavailable on a Japanese sabbatical.
The livewire No.9 did what no other New Zealand halfback has been able to do, providing genuine competition for All Blacks first-choice Aaron Smith at the Highlanders, before his ambitions were dented by a knee injury.
Now a year older and wiser, Fakatava, 22, made his comeback last weekend, coming off the bench in the Highlanders' 26-16 season-opening loss to the Chiefs, slowly building his way back to the high standards last season.
But Fakatava makes no bones about picking New Zealand over Tonga, when it comes to test rugby.
"We'll see, the All Blacks are the best in the world for me," Fakatava says. "It will be good to have a crack at it.
"[I'll] just keep doing what I'm doing, learning from the best. Hopefully, if opportunities come, I'll take it.
"If not, then I'll have to play for Tonga at the World Cup."
But it won't be that easy for Fakatava. A change in rugby's eligibility rules has extended the residency period for foreign-born players from three years to five, leaving him potentially one year short of qualifying, unless given dispensation by World Rugby.
Fakatava migrated from Tonga on a scholarship with Hastings Boys' High School in 2016, but while he's now lived in New Zealand for more than five years, his residency period under World Rugby guidelines didn't begin until he turned 18, at the end of 2017.
Under the new laws, Fakatava wouldn't be eligible until 2023 at the earliest - not that it's affecting his preparation for the Highlanders' next opponents, the Crusaders.
"I've been talking with my agent and got a message from other people. I don't really care much, I just focus on right now - [the] team performance.
"I don't really worry about what's going to happen with my eligibility. If it happens, it happens.
"I just need to, every week, put a good performance out there."
Alex Powell
