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Hurricanes 21 Highlanders 14
8:54pm
Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but the Hurricanes have gotten the job done for a second straight victory.
The Highlanders meanwhile are still looking for their first win, with losses to the Chiefs and Crusaders also under their belts this season.
That'll be all for our coverage tonight - so thank you for joining us and we'll see you next week!
FULLTIME
Hurricanes scrum, but the ref calls for a reset. The Hurricanes will take that, just over a minute left on the clock.
The Hurricanes are awarded a free kick, and call for another scrum. Henry feeds and Aaron Smith is penalised trying to steal it.
The siren goes, the Hurricanes just need to kick it into touch. And Barrett does that.
The Hurricanes win by seven!
78 mins
Marshall throws, and the Highlanders go forward.
Gregory impresses again, but Thomas Umaga-Jensen loses the ball. Aaron Smith complains of interference from Ardie Savea.
Hurricanes scrum.
77 mins
Iose attempts to offload but Numia can't grab it as the Highlanders have it.
Connor Garden-Bachop kicks down to Julian Savea, before Jordie Barrett finds touch.
Highlanders lineout on the 10m line.
75 mins - TRY HIGHLANDERS
Jackson Garden-Bachop replaces Love. Scrum Highlanders after a Hurricanes knock on.
Smith goes to feed, but the Highlanders get a free kick as the Hurricanes go early.
The Highlanders have the ball and look to go forward, but the Hurricanes defend in numbers.
Smith feeds Gregory as the Highlanders threaten the 22. Connor Garden-Bachop and Gregory combine, as the Highlanders keep the ball.
Smith puts Dickson into a hole, and the lock reaches out to score! Could we be in for another thriller?
Banks lines up the conversion, and he lands it! Seven point difference, five minutes to play!
HUR 21 HIG 14
70 mins - TRY HURRICANES
Hurricanes scrum, debutant halfback Logan Henry to feed. Iose runs the ball off the back of the scrum and makes 30m to take the ball into the Highlanders' half.
Peter Umaga-Jensen slips right through the Highlanders' defence after jinking past Gregory! Henry is waiting on the inside, and he gets the ball back to score on debut! He's only been on the field for a minute!
Barrett converts.
HUR 21 HIG 7
67 mins
Coltman throws and the Highlanders win it as Gregory has a run. He's held up in goal to force a goal line dropout.
Love to take it, and he kicks it to halfway and Banks. Frizell has a run, but Mikaele-Tu'u throws a forward pass looking to offload to Gregory.
Hurricanes scrum.
66 mins
Hurricanes lineout, Maile throws but the Highlanders win it.
They've got advantage too as they go wide to the left. Selby-Rickit bumps off Julian Savea, and the Highlanders take it inside the Hurricanes' half.
Banks looks to kick, but we'll go back for the penalty. Banks finds touch despite Julian Savea's efforts to keep it in.
63 mins
Hurricanes scrum after a Highlanders knock-on.
Judd feeds, and Iose runs off the back. He drops the ball but it goes backward to Ardie Savea. The ball is cleared down to Coombes-Fabling, who finds Connor Garden-Bachop - and he kicks into touch.
Hurricanes lineout on the 10m line. Iose wins it and finds Rayasi at first receiver. Barrett tries to kick through the line but Coombes-Fabling gets in the way.
Aaron Smith has the ball and finds Banks, who finds Umaga-Jensen. Gilbert takes the ball into the Hurricanes' 22, but Ardie Savea turns the ball over and wins a penalty.
59 mins
The Hurricanes have conceded four penalties in five minutes, on their last warning - on their own tryline.
Highlanders' scrum. Smith feeds, and they drive. Another advantage.
The Highlanders go wide to Coombes-Fabling. He's tackled short of the tryline, Coltman has a go, but he's knocked it on. Manaaki Selby-Rickit gets the loose ball, and he goes over to claim a try. The ref awards it, but we'll check upstairs for the try.
The TMO sticks with the on-field decison, no clear and obvious knock-on. The try stands, and the Highlanders are on the board.
Banks to convert, and he nails it from the left.
HUR 14 HIG 7
57 mins
Coltman throws and the Highlanders take it down and look to drive again. The maul collapses, but the Highlanders have advantage.
Evans loses the ball, so we go for the penalty. Smith goes quickly as Mikaele-Tu'u hits the line. The Highlanders are on the 5m line. Another advantage for the Highlanders.
Smith goes to Banks, who drops it. But the Highlanders will have another penalty.
55 mins
Highlanders lineout, and they go for the drive. They collapse close to the tryline, and Aaron Smith takes over.
Huge overlap on the left, but Coombes-Fabling spills Banks' kick out to his wing. The Hurricanes take the quick lineout, but lose the ball.
The Highlanders attack again, but lose it again. Barrett clears, but it's not out.
The Highlanders have it inside the Hurricanes' half. Frizell takes the line on, and the Hurricanes are called for offside, Kirifi the culprit.
Banks finds touch for a lineout.
53 mins
Barrett fires a kick down to Connor Garden-Bachop, but the Highlanders win a penalty, Prinsep not rolling away.
Marty Banks is on for Mitch Hunt, and he finds touch for a lineout - great kick first up from Banks.
51 mins - TRY HURRICANES
The Hurricanes attack as Sullivan and Ardie Savea combine down the left to run into the 22.
Barrett nearly slips through the Highlanders' line, advantage for offside to the Hurricanes.
Delany charges at the line with a pick and go, but he's tackled short.
Proctor has a go from close range, and he's over! The Hurricanes score a second!
Barrett converts from right in front.
HUR 14 HIG 0
48 mins
Barrett lines up his third kick of the evening, 55m out.
And he misses it to the left. Just one of those games.
47 mins
Slight delay as Ardie Savea needs a bit of treatment. He's good to go though. Highlanders scrum, Smith feeds and they win advantage.
The Highlanders go wide. Paea throws an offload inside but the Highlanders lose it, the Hurricanes look to run it now.
Prinsep hits the line as the Hurricanes look to pass halfway, but Mikaele-Tu'u is penalised. Barrett points to the posts, from inside his own half...
45 mins
Coltman throws, Evans wins it.
The Highlanders have the ball, before Coombes-Fabling kicks down to Barrett.
The Hurricanes can build an attack. Judd has the ball, but he loses it forward.
44 mins
Hurricanes scrum. Judd feeds. Barrett kicks downfield as first receiver.
Garden-Bachop returns fire, and beats Barrett for the high ball. Garden-Bachop loses it though, and Judd clears the loose ball into touch for a Highlanders lineout.
42 mins
Blackwell knocks on from the kick-off, and the Highlanders can attack to start the half.
Hunt throws a forward pass though, and the Hurricanes will get the ball back and have a scrum.
There's been more errors than points scored so far.
41 mins
The Highlanders are out for the second half, and Aaron Smith has replaced Folau Fakatava.
Xavier Numia is on in place of Rakete-Stones for the Hurricanes.
Hunt kicks off to begin the second half.
HALFTIME
This'll be the last play of the half. Highlanders' scrum. Fakatava feeds.
Fakatava takes the ball off the back, and the Highlanders go wide to Coombes-Fabling. Umaga-Jensen goes back infield. Hunt runs, straight into Ardie Savea.
Fakatava kicks over the top, where Barrett gathers and kicks into touch. And that's that for the first spell.
40 mins
Hurricanes scrum. Judd feeds and goes to Julian Savea, who juggles it.
They go back infield to Ardie Savea, but the Hurricanes are pinned in their own half.
Barrett goes to the air, as Garden-Bachop takes it. Coombes-Fabling has a run, but loses the ball and the Hurricanes can attack in the Highlanders' half.
Love and Kirifi combine to find Sullivan, who kicks over the top - but he's hit it too well as the ball bounces into touch despite Barrett's chase.
37 mins
The Hurricanes knock on from their own lineout, and the Highlanders clear it down field.
Another lineout for the Hurricanes, and they can't win this one either. But the Highlanders knock it on as they attempt to solidify their position.
Hurricanes scrum. Judd feeds and finds Proctor from the back. Love kicks as far as Connor Garden-Bachop at fullback.
They go wide to Gilbert, before going back infield to Coltman. Fakatava runs and tries to create something, but Kirifi is called for offside to give away a penalty.
Hunt kicks for the corner, but it's not out. Barrett returns fire to Coombes-Fabling. They go wide to Gilbert, and have an overlap on the left.
Bryn Evans throws a forward pass though. Hurricanes scrum.
33 mins
The Hurricanes win a turnover as Gilbert is penalised for not releasing, Julian Savea winning the penalty.
Barrett clears for a lineout.
32 mins
The Highlanders will have a shot at goal. Hunt lines up his second kick.
But he misses this one to the right, as Barrett clears into touch.
30 mins
Maile throws, and is called for not straight. He was a late replacement with Asafo Aumua injured in the warm up.
Highlanders scrum. They go to the backs as Paea hits the line. Hunt is smashed by Lomax, and the Hurricanes turn it over after Dickson has a go.
The Highlanders turn it back though, and go wide to Garden-Bachop. Barrett gathers, just, and finds Rayasi.
The Hurricanes scramble inside their own half, and they've got the ball.
They go wide to Julian Savea, and Proctor, but the ball's out and the Highlanders take a quick lineout.
Coltman takes the ball over the 10m line, and the Highlanders have advantage, before the penalty is awarded.
Phew.
27 mins
The Hurricanes win their lineout, but are called for not releasing. Hunt finds touch from the penalty.
The Highlanders with their lineout now, but this time Fakatava is penalised at the breakdown.
Barrett kicks and finds touch for a Hurricanes lineout.
25 mins
Coltman throws and Renton brings it down.
He finds Fakatava, who puts Coombes-Fabling into a gap! The debutant goes close, and the Highlanders go wide.
Connor Garden-Bachop looks for the corner, but Frizell is called for double movement. Barrett takes it quickly but his kick isn't into touch, the Highlanders return fire and do find touch.
24 mins
Highlanders scrum. Fakatava feeds but the front row gives the Highlanders advantage.
Paea is tackled, and we go back for the penalty. Hunt finds touch for a Highlanders lineout.
22 mins
The Hurricanes go short to Ardie Savea, but he loses the ball.
The Highlanders clear the ball down to Julian Savea, and he's spilled it! The Highlanders will have a scrum after a bad minute for the Savea brothers.
21 mins
Hurricanes scrum. Judd feeds.
Love clears down to Connor Garden-Bachop, who kicks it back.
Barrett kicks as far as Coombes-Fabling, on debut, and he spills the ball into touch for a Hurricanes lineout.
20 mins
Ardie Savea is penalised for offside trying to disrupt the Highlanders' lineout, Hunt clears for a lineout.
Another messy effort from the Highlanders, but Renton secures the ball inside his own half.
Fakatava clears with a box kick, and the Highlanders win it. They go wide to Paea, but he knocks it on in Ardie Savea's tackle.
18 mins
Hurricanes scrum, Judd feeds and Savea takes it off the back.
The Highlanders are penalised for not releasing. Barrett finds touch for a lineout.
Maile throws, and Blackwood wins it. Julian Savea and Kirifi both run at the line, as does Sullivan but the defence holds.
Barrett stabs a kick through, but the ball goes into touch for a Highlanders lineout.
16 mins
Highlanders lineout, Coltman throws and Frizell wins it.
Hunt loses the ball forward looking for Coombes-Fabling on the wing, and the Hurricanes will have a scrum.
15 mins
Highlanders' scrum.
Fakatava takes it off the back and puts Umaga-Jensen into space. The Highlanders move towards the tryline, but de Groot loses the ball in the tackle.
Barrett has it, and clears into touch for a lineout.
12 mins - TRY HURRICANES
Hurricanes lineout as Barrett finds touch. Maile throws and the Hurricanes win it, and have advantage.
Delany makes a break as Ardie Savea puts him through, and the Hurricanes have advantage again.
Love tries to dance through, but he's tackled, as is Proctor.
Love puts Rakete-Stones through - and he races away to score the opener! Barrett to convert, and he does.
HUR 7 HIG 0
10 mins
The Highlanders want the points, and Hunt lines up his first shot of the night.
Straight in front, but he's hit the post too! The Hurricanes win the scramble for the ball, before Evans is penalised for offside.
8 mins
Penalty for the Highlanders as the Hurricanes leave their feet at the breakdown.
Hunt finds touch and the Highlanders have a lineout just in front of the 22. Coltman throws and it's messy, but Fakatava tidies up.
Frizell makes metres, as does Thomas Umaga-Jensen. Paea and de Groot both run and take the tackle, before the Highlanders win advantage.
Fakatava tries a dummy, but is tackled so we go back for the penalty. Offside against Raketa-Stones.
5 mins
First scrum of the night. Highlanders' feed.
Fakatava deeds and Evans runs off the back, but the Hurricanes turn it over. They go to the right, where Sullivan tries to kick down the line as the ball dribbles into touch.
Highlanders lineout.
3 mins
The Hurricanes want the points. Barrett lines up his first kick of the night.
But he pushes it left and hits the post! Gilbert clears downfield, straight to Love.
Love throws a forward pass to the wing, looking for Sullivan.
2 mins
Renton takes the kick, Fakatava looks to clear with a kick, but straight to Jordie Barrett.
Renton knocks on as he attempts to disrupt Barrett's pass, so the Hurricanes will have a penalty.
KICKOFF
And we're underway at Sky Stadium as Ruben Love kicks off!
7:04pm
Both sides are out on the field. Kick off just moments away.
6:50pm
Good evening! Thanks for joining us for the second part of our coverage of Super Rugby Pacific's double header. The Blues have already held on for victory over the Chiefs, what can the Hurricanes and Highlanders produce?
Kick off is about 15 minutes away!
******
Kia ora and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the clash between the Highlanders and the Hurricanes at Wellington.
The hosts will be buoyant off the back of their jaw-dropping comeback victory over the Blues last weekend, while the Highlanders are searching for their first win, having dropped their opener against the Crusaders.
We'll have all of the action for you live from 7pm.
TAB betting odds:
Hurricanes - $1.40, Highlanders - $2.80
Line-ups:
Hurricanes: 1-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Caleb Delany, 6-Reed Prinsep, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea, 9-Jamie Booth, 10-Ruben Love, 11-Salesi Rayasi, 12-Bily Proctor, 13-Bailyn Sullivan, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Jordie Barrett
16-Siua Maile, 17-Xavier Numia, 18-Tevita Mafileo, 19-Devan Flanders, 20-Brayden Iose, 21-Richard Judd, 22-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23-Peter Umaga-Jensen
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Liam Coltman, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Bryn Evans, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-Hugh Renton, 8-Gareth Evans, 9-Folau Fakatava, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Liam Coombes-Fabling, 12-Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 13-Fetuli Paea, 14-Sam Gilbert, 15-Connor Garden-Bachop
Reserves: 16-Rhys Marshall, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Saula Ma’u, 19-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20-Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21-Aaron Smith, 22-Marty Banks, 23-Scott Gregory
Beauden Barrett return addresses Blues leadership collapse during Hurricanes defeat
By Grant Chapman
Beauden Barrett's return to the Blues line-up may help solve a key shortcoming that contributed to their late collapse in their Super Rugby Pacific season-opener against the Hurricanes last week.
The star first-five missed last week's 33-32 last-minute defeat, as he continued to battle the after-effects of concussion from the All Blacks' northern tour last year. In his absence, his side squandered an 18-point advantage and conceded three late tries, including the matchwinner to Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea.
Barrett has tentatively been named on the Blues bench for their clash with the Chiefs on Saturday, bracketed with Zarn Sullivan, indicating he still has a couple of boxes to tick before he's ready to take the field.
But assistant coach Dan Halangahu hints his spot on the bench has just as much to do with the lack of leadership during the final 10 minutes of that Hurricanes debacle.
"We were very clear that the last period of the match was not what we wanted, but on reflection, not having some of our senior leaders out there and more experience players was probably something that contributed," says Halangahu.
Besides Barrett, the Blues were missing club captain Dalton Papalii, also under concussion protocols, while coaching staff probably didn't help their cause much, subbing off stand-in skipper Tom Robinson just before the rot set in.
Veteran lock Luke Romano - along with his 136 matches for the Crusaders - and All Blacks halfback Finlay Christie were others handed early departure cards, leaving centre Rieko Ioane, 24, as probably the senior-ranking officer on deck.
The game review would have exposed some key game-management decisions - ill-directed kicks or 50-50 passes that didn't need to be thrown - that undoubtedly put the Blues under pressure down the stretch.
A lack of urgency allowed Auckland product Salesi Rayasi to score what should have been a consolation try. Instead, they continued to take the foot off the pedal with disastrous consequences.
Papalii is one of two changes to the starting XV against the Chiefs, with Taranaki utility Stephen Perofeta replacing Sullivan at fullback.
"Getting Dalton back is huge for us and Beauden has also come through the week really well," says Halangahu. "He's been a while out of rugby as well, so easing him back in is good for us as well.
"We don't take chances with anyone's career, so Beauden's taken his time coming back. What he has done is huge amounts off the field... extremely professional and drives our backline, in particular, but also our whole team to turn up and do well."
The first 70 minutes against the Hurricanes showed how explosive this star-studded Blues outfit could be, with forwards setting a solid platform for a backline featuring strike weapons like Ioane, much-heralded league convert Roger Tuivasa-Sheak, and powerful wings Caleb Clarke and Mark Telea.
"It was probably one of our better starts to a season in recent times, but you just don't win matches in 70 minutes," reflects Ioane. "We have to have that for 80 and that will be the big goal this week."
