HIGHLANDERS 20 WARATAHS 32
FULLTIME
80min - HIGHLANDERS TRY COOMBES-FABLING
Last chance here for the Highlanders to get something from the game. Gregory right in the thick of it again, he spots Coombes-Fabling on his right and offloads in the tackle to send him over for the try.
78min - WARATAHS TRY EDMED
Hanigan shows great strength to spin out of the tackle, spots Edmed to his right, offloads in the scond tackle and the first-five is over for the try - his first in his Super Rugby career.
76min - Pietsch now following Gamble's example and gets over the ball to win the turnover. Newsome looks to be in space down the left wing but his kick is charged into touch.
74min - Charlie Gamble hasn't been on for long but makes an immediate impact, getting over the ball at a Highlanders breakdown and wins the penalty. Edmed lines up the penalty goal but misses to the left.
72min - Luca Inch makes way onto the field for his Super Rugby debut. There's a pause in play as Garden-Bachop has his head wrapped up after a cut.
70min - WARATAHS PENALTY GOAL EDMED
Waratahs piling on the pressure now as they work their way towards the Highlanders try line. The home team are struggling to number up concede the penalty from bang in front. Edmed nails the penalty goal to further extend the lead.
68min - Jeremy Williams could be in for the Waratahs! The replacement loose forward somehow came up with the ball, showed great strength and tried reaching out but a late Banks foot dislodges the ball. Great save there by the vet.
66min - Gordon and Hooper link up beautifully to put Foketi away! They try and go quickly but can't link up with the support runners to the left and fire the ball into touch.
64min - WARATAHS PENALTY GOAL EDMED
Gamble finds Bell with a nice cross-field pass and the Waratahs win the penalty for a late penalty. Edmed will have a shot at goal to extend the lead and he makes no mistake.
62min - Highlanders are penalised at the scrum for collapsing almost as soon as the ball went in. Donaldson finds touch inside the 22m for an attacking Waratahs lineout.
60min - Nawaqanitawase have a good few minutes here as he fields in a tough high ball. Both teams playing with plenty of tempo as Hanigan takes it into contact.
58min - Gregory right back in the thick of the action and runs back the Waratahs kickoff before Smith clears allowing Nawaqanitawase to return it with interest.
56min - HIGHLANDERS TRY SCOTT GREGORY
Donaldson can't field a Smith kick and the Highlanders get it back. They shift it quickly to the left and Gregory is by himself on the wing! He sprints towards the line with a defender closing him down and does brilliantly to dot it down for the try.
54min - Highlanders try a bit of razzle dazzle from the lineout and Harmon finds himself in some space down the left wing! He tries a chip kick but the last man does well to batter the ball into touch. Highlanders will have the lineout.
52min - WARATAHS YELLOW CARD PADDY RYAN
Bit of hot potato going on now amongst the Highlanders players before Solomona beats his opposite and streaks away down the right wing! He looks to beat another but is tackled into touch. TMO having a look at potential foul play involving Paddy Ryan.
Ryan dropped his shoulder at the ruck and made contact with Dickson's head but it really didn't look that bad - but the tighthead prop has been show a yellow card!
50min - HIGHLANDERS PENALTY BANKS
Highlanders putting together phases now and win the penalty right in front just outside the 22m. Couldn't be timed any better as Marty Banks comes on and nails the penalty goal. He takes the place of Gilbert after 20 minutes had passed.
48min - A strong Highlanders shove at the scrum forces Berry's hand and awards the penalty. Smith has taken over the kicking duties and finds touch around halfway.
46min - Highlanders giveaway the penalty now after Nawaqanitawase is tackled in the air. Waratahs find touch on the Highlanders 22m for the attacking lineout but knock on.
44min - Smith shows the ball before putting Caird into a hole but the Highlanders can't hold onto the ball and the Waratahs clear long.
42min - We're back underway! How will the Highlanders respond. Waratahs looking to launch an attack from around halfway but a forward pass will give the Highlanders the feed into the scrum.
HALFTIME
40min - The Highlanders will have a scrum on halfway right before the hooter but Garden-Bachop collects and kicks long and that'll be halftime!
38min - WARATAHS TRY MICHAEL HOOPER
Waratahs just outside the 22m now. Hooper looks up, picks the ball up from the base of the ruck and he's away! There's nobody back for the Highlanders and the captain is over for the try,
36min - Waratahs looking for very quick ball and Gordon is supplying. The visitors seemingly making very metes and Pietsch is away down the left wing! He tries to cut back inside and offload the ball to a support runner but can only find the sideline.
34min - WARATAHS TRY MARK NAWAQANITAWASE
Waratahs with a great attacking platform here. They know they have the numerical advantage, they shift right before a HUGE cutout pass to Nawaqanitawase and he's all alone on the right wing and he goes over for the try.
32min - Waratahs looking to make the Highlanders pay immediately and are just a couple metres out as they try bash their way over the try line. Highlanders concede the penalty and Berry issues a warning.
30min - RED CARD SAM GILBERT
Oh no - Gilbert has had a brain explosion and should see a red card. The first-five picked up Hooper off the ball, lifted him well above the horizontal and he's landed on his head. The ref and TMO have a chat and it's a simple decision, he's off. What was he thinking.
28min - Garden-Bachop shows great feet and he beats a couple of defenders. Ainsley of all people sees space and puts the kick through but it doesn't come off and the Waratahs can clear.
26min - Highlandes let the Waratahs off the hook again as they spill the ball inside the Waratahs 22m after an attacking lineout. The visitors clear but only as far as about 30 metres from their own try line.
24min - Highlanders collect the lineout ball and begin their drive! They're making easy metres and they're over the try line but the ref rules held up so the Waratahs will have the line drop out.
22min - Gilbert delivers a nice ball to Greogry but he's well wrapped up. Lienert-Brown receives a beautiful pass and he's in space! Donaldson makes a good last-ditch tackle but the Waratahs guilty of infringing at the ruck and we'll have a lineout.
20min - Waratahs now putting the pressure on at the scrum and the ref awards them the penalty for their efforts. The visitors will have the lineout just inside the Highlanders 10m.
18min - Highlanders put a strong shove on at the scrum as Smith comes away with it. The kick goes up and the chasers do well to get there but can't bring it in, so we'll have a Waratahs scrum just inside their own 10m.
16min - Garden-Bachop goes high with the kick and the wind takes it towards the left wing but the chaser can't hold onto it in contact and the Waratahs will have the feed into the scrum.
14min - Highlandes lucky to get away with a forward pass and they're quickly inside the Waratahs 22m. Lentjes looks for contact but is quite up right and the ref calls maul! Waratahs do well up hold him up and suffocate the ball and we'll have a scrum.
12min - WARATAHS TRY WILL HARRIS
Gleeson comes up with the ball at the lineout and the Waratahs break from their maul. They've got the advantage again and the visitors shift right to Will Harris, puts a step on, beats two defenders and he's over for the try under the sticks!
10min - Waratahs win another penalty and now makie their way up to the Highlanders 22m. They're keeping it tight before Gleeson makes a good run. Solomona guilty of being too fast on defence and is penalised for being offside. Tahs opt for the lineout over the three.
8min - The Highlanders look good to launch another attack, they're just outside the Waratahs 22m but the visitors do good work at the ruck and force a breakdown penalty of their own.
6min - Waratahs make their way into the Highlanders for the first time. The visitors look to attack the midfield but Lentjes gets over the ball and wins the penalty.
4min - HIGHLANDERS TRY JOSH DICKSON
Waratahs defence struggling to number up and they concede the penalty. Highlanders playing with advantage as Gregory goes close! The home team making great progress here, they shift right to Josh Dickson and the big lock crashes over for the game's first try!
2min - Gilbert gets us underway! The Waratahs looking like play their way out but cough up the ball and the Highlanders can attack early.
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of this Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Highlanders and NSW Waratahs from Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
The Highlanders can seal their spot in the finals with a win tonight, with only Western Force in catching distance, with two games in hand.
A win tonight likely sets up a quarter-final match-up with the Blues, while the Waratahs will look to keep the pressure on the other Kiwi sides above them.
The seventh-placed Aussies could join the Hurricanes in fifth place with a bonus-point victory, setting up an exciting final round of match-ups with home semi-finals up for grabs.
The Highlanders are boosted by the return of All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman and England winger Denny Solomona, after their recovery from injuries.
TAB Odds: Highlanders $1.25, Waratahs $3.70
Highlanders: 1-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 2-Liam Coltman, 3- Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Sam Caird, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-James Lentjes, 7-Billy Harmon, 8-Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Sam Gilbert, 11-Scott Gregory, 12-Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 13-Josh Timu, 14-Denny Solomona, 15-Connor Garden-Bachop
Reserves: 16- Andrew Makalio, 17-Luca Inch, 18-Saula Ma'u, 19-Max Hicks, 20-Hugh Renton, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Marty Banks, 23-Fetuli Paea
Waratahs: 1-Te Tera Faulkner, 2-Dave Porecki, 3-Paddy Ryan, 4-Geoff Cridge, 5-Hugh Sinclair, 6-Langi Gleeson, 7-Michael Hooper, 8-Will Harris, 9-Jake Gordon, 10-Tane Edmed, 11-Dylan Pietsch, 12-Lalakai Foketi, 13-Alex Newsome, 14-Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15-Ben Donaldson
Reserves: 16-Mahe Vailanu, 17-Angus Bell, 18-Ruan Smith, 19-Jeremy Williams, 20-Ned Hanigan, 21-Charlie Gamble, 22-Jack Grant, 23-Jamie Roberts
Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava cleared to play for All Blacks
Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava has been cleared to play for the All Blacks, after New Zealand Rugby's application to World Rugby was approved.
Fakatava was previously eligible to play for the All Blacks, but a new five-year residential rule introduced by World Rugby this year, increased from just three years, meant he was unavailable for selection.
"New Zealand Rugby has had confirmation from World Rugby that Folau Fakatava's application for eligibility to represent New Zealand in rugby has been approved," said New Zealand Rugby professional rugby and performance general manager Chris Lendrum.
"His approval confirms he is eligible for selection for New Zealand’s national teams in 2022 and beyond."
The 22-year-old moved to New Zealand from Tonga six years ago and remains eligible for his native nation should he be picked.
But Fakatava has previously stated his sight is firmly on the black jersey, should selectors come calling, with the opportunity to play for the All Blacks at test level too hard to ignore.
"The All Blacks are the best in the world for me," Fakatava said in February. "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."
The livewire No.9 was one of the stars of the opening rounds of last year's Super Rugby Aoteroa season and had many in tipping him for higher honours, but was dealt a cruel blow, after suffering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
