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Crusaders 52 Highlanders 15
Crusaders - Reece, Moody, Mo'unga, Havili, Taylor, Fainga'anuku & Burke tries; Mo'unga 7 conversions & penalty
Highlanders - Timu 2 tries; Gilbert penalty, Burns conversion
Fulltime
40th minute - Crusaders steal a lineout again and enter the Highlanders half. Ball goes loose and Whitelock guides the ball into touch to end the game.
Crusaders get a win to stop the bleeding, but the Highlanders must take a hard look at themselves in the mirror, after another record defeat.
39th minute - TRY to Timu
From the scrum, Umaga-Jenseon kicks to the goalposts and Timun wins the race for a try double. BUrns converts, CRU 52-15
38th minute - Bower knocks on at the lineout and Highlanders have an attacking scrum.
37th minute - Highlanders win the scrum and win a penalty inside their 22. Burns kicks to the Crusaders 22 for a lineout.
36th minute - Taylor is back on the field, after an injury to McAlister. Fainga'anuku powers towards the posts, but Highlanders win a defensive scrum.
34th minute - From the kickoff, Crusaders go on attack and win a penalty inside the Highlanders 10. Mo'unga kicks to the corner.
32nd minute - TRY to Timu
Hicks steals a lineout throw and Highlanders plug away again. Umaga-Jensen makes metres, finds Burn in support and Timu chases a kick ahead from Fakatava to score. Burns misses the sideline conversion, CRU 52-8
31st minute - Highlanders barely secure an attacking lineout throw, but Whitelock wins a penalty at the breakdown and that's another opportunity squandered by the Highlanders.
30th minute - Highlanders on attack, but finding the Crusaders tough to crack. Burns throws a pass to Reece, but Highlanders win a penalty, with Fakatava at the breakdown.
27th minute - TRY to Fainga'anuku
Parkinson rejoins the game, but Crusaders win a lineout in the corner and maul towards the line. McAlister is taken down short, but after a couple more phases, Fainga'anuku powers over under the crossbar.
Mo'unga converts and Highlanders are staring at another record loss, CRU 52-3
26th minute - Crusaders building phases in midfield and Highlanders eventually penalised at the breakdown.
25th minute - From the scrum, Crusaders go right, but Burke can't force, as he is shunted out in the corner.
Burns drops out from his goal-line to halfway.
23rd minute - Crusaders under penalty advantage inside the 22 and their attack breaks down, so back for the penalty. They go for another scrum.
22nd minute - Crusaders have the Highlanders scrum under the pump now and win an attacking penalty inside the 22. They go for another scrum.
20th minute - Parkinson's yellow card remains yellow. Crusaders are hot on attack, but penalised and Burns clears.
19th minute - Crusaders shift left, where Macca Springer has an early run.
18th minute - Crusaders ring the changes, with Taylorm Havili and Blackadder among those leaving.
16th minute - TRY to Taylor
Crusaders win an attacking lineout and maul to the tryline, where Taylor is at the back to score. Mo'unga converts, CRU 45-3
15th minute - Berry is reviewing a tackle from Parkinson on Hotham that went above the horizontal. The Highlanders lock is shown a yellow card and awaits judgment on whether that becomes red under new rules.
14th minute - Whitelock wins a lineout, but Crusaders lose the ball on the Highlanders 22. Havili is down on the ground with a knee problem.
13th minute - Hicks wins a lineout for the Highlanders, who try to find a way through the defence. Eventually, Crusaders force a turnover at the breakdown.
12th minute - Highlanders win a defensive scrum and Burns kicks deep.
11th minute - Highlanders struggle to clear a retreating scrum, but eventually Burns kicks deep towards the Crusaders goal-line. Reece returns with interest.
10th minute - Noah Hotham makes his Crusaders debut, replacing Drummond at halfback.
Ninth minute - Fakatava replaces Parapara at halfback for Highlanders.
Eighth minute - TRY to Havili
From an attacking scrum, Crusaders enter the 22, with a storming run from Blackadder, who finds Havili running a support line. Mo'unga converts, CRU 38-3
Sixth minute - Marshall replaces Makalio at hooker for the Highlanders. Crusaders win a lineout near the Highlanders 10 and Fainga'anuku storms to the 22.
Fifth minute - Highlanders lineout lets them down again, as Blackadder steals the throw and Crusaders clear.
Fourth minute - Garden-Bachop is off with concussion and Dawai is his replacement.
Highlanders are on attack with penalty advantage. Burns kicks to the corner.
Third minute - Burns kicks off and Highlanders are offside at the breakdown.
Second minute - TRY to Mo'unga
Crusaders playing under penalty advntage, but Havili kicks behind the tryline and Mo'unga wins the race to touch down just before the deadball line. Berry checks for offside, but he's happy.
Mo'unga converts his own try, CRU 31-3
First minute - Mo'unga kicks off and Crusaders immediately turn over the ball to go on attack.
Halftime
40th minute - TRY to Moody
Whitleock wins the lineout and Crusaders forwards drive over the line, with Moody at the back to score. Mo'unga converts after the siren, CRU 24-3
39th minute - From the scrum, Highlanders are offside and Berry eventually comes back for the penalty. Mo'unga kicks to the corner for a lineout.
37th minute - Burns clears outside the Highlanders 22, but Makalio's throw isn't straight.
36th minute - From the scrum, Lio-Willie runs off the back, but loses the ball, so Highlanders have a defensive feed and win a clearing penalty.
35th minute - Highlanders try to cover a kick into the 22, but Gilbert can't gather a pass and concedes a try in front of the posts.
34th minute - Mo'unga finds a long touch from inside his 22 into Highlanders, then the Crusaders steal the lineout throw.
32nd minute - TRY to Burke
Mo'unga jumps on a loose ball on his own 22 and bursts upfield, eventually looking infield, where Havili finds Burke in support to score. Mo'unga converts from in front, CRU 17-3
31st minute - Highlanders wn another lineout and lay siege to the 22.
30th minute - Parkinson wins the lineout and Highlanders try to control the ball. Burns kicks to the corner and finds touch a couple of metres out.
Crusaders take a quick lineout and Havili clears.
29th minute - Highlanders win a penalty in their own half and Burns kicks to touch near the Crusaders 22.
28th minute - From the kickoff, the Crusaders sweep downfield and there's a scramble behind the tryline. Referee Berry needs to check who forced the ball first and replays suggest the Highlanders barely got there for a goal-line dropout.
Burns drops out, but the Crusaders are back on attack. Blackadder bursts into the 22, but Highlanders turn the ball over and clear.
26th minute - Crusaders forwards turn the tables on the Highlanders at scrumtime and win a penalty. Mo'unga slots it to extend the lead, CRU 10-3
25th minute - Barrett pops a marginal pass to Moody, who can't handle it, so Crusaders waste that attacking opportunity.
24th minute - Highlanders turn over the ball and Parapara clears outside the 22, but the threat is not over. Crusaders go right, but Reece is barely tackled by Gilbert.
23rd minute - From the scrum, Crusaders shift left and quickly enter the Highlanders 22...
22nd minute - From the scrum, Ennor kicks upfield, but Gilbert meets it and makes good ground into Crusaders half. Eventually, Ainsely's hands let him down.
21st minute - Highlanders win the lineout, but lose the ball. Crusaders have a scrum feed outside their 22.
20th minute - Burns kicks to touch near the Crusaders 22.
19th minute - Couple of resets needed on the scrum... finally, a big Highlanders scrum wins another penalty and they're schooling the Crusaders at set-piece.
17th minute - Crusaders look ominous as they win another lineout and attack again, but Christie can't handle a floating pass from Havili.
16th minute - Whitelock wins a lineout inside Crusaders territory and Mo'unga kicks deep, stopping just before the deadball line. Gilbert clears towards halfway.
15th minute - Ennor has replaced Goodhue in the Crusaders midfield.
13th minute - TRY to Reece
Crusaders win the lineout and go onto attack inside the 22. Mo'unga provides some thrust, Barrett pokes his nose through and finds Reece in support to score.
Mo'unga converts, CRU 7-3
12th minute - Lio-Willie steals another lineout throw and Reece kicks downfield, where Gilbert finds touch on the full, gifting the Crusaders an attacking lineout on the 22. Goodhue is hobbling.
11th minute - Highlanders win another scrum penalty and Burns finds touch on the Crusaders 22.
10th minute - Havili is driven backwards by Umaga-Jensen and loses the ball just over halfway, so Highlanders have a scrum feed in good position.
Eighth minute - Gilbert slots a penalty from in front to put his team ahead, HIG 3-0
Seventh minute - Goodhue finally takes the ball into contact and is penalised at the breakdown. Burns finds touch near the Crusaders 22.
Lowe claims the long throw and Highlanders have another midfield penalty...
Sixth minute - Whitelock steals the lineout and Havili hoofs the ball deep in Highlanders territory. Another kickathon ensues...
Fifth minute - Highlanders win a scrum penalty and Burns finds a convservative touch just inside the Crusaders half.
Fourth minute - Crusaders knock on, Highlanders have a scrum feed on their 10.
Third minute - Burns chips into the Crusaders 22, but Mo'unga is on the spot to mark and clear to halfway.
Highlanders win the lineout and Burns finds Lowe with a nice pass that puts him in space, but the Crusaders scramble the ball into Highlanders territory.
Second minute - Crusaders are penalised in midfield near halfway and Burns kicks to touch towards the 22.
First minute - Nic Berry officiating this clash, with Burns to kick off for the Highlanders.
Both teams play a game of forceback, before Jonah Lowe finally takes a tackle.
7:41pm - Later kickoff tonight in Melbourne, with the Crusaders & Highlanders scheduled to kick off at 8pm NZ time.
Scott Robertson not with the Crusaders, staying home for family reasons.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the champions Crusaders and the Highlanders at Melbourne.
These southern rivals find themselves in unusual territory - geographically and competitively - in the second week of the competition, more used to battling on the field at Christchurch or Dunedin.
Both emerged from the opening rounds with defeats to the Chiefs and Blues, so they'll want to turn their seasons around quickly.
The Crusaders have named veteran lock Sam Whitelock, sidelined with concussion symptoms in the season-opener, but they lose No.8 Cullen Grace and prop Fletcher Newell to injury.
In the backs, David Havili moves from fullback to the midfielder, with Fergus Burke taking the No.15 jersey.
The Highlanders line-up has a makeshift look to it, with coach Clarke Dermody ringing the changes from the team that suffered a record loss to the Blues. Significantly, the inside back combination of Folau Fakatava and Mitch Hunt have been relegated to the bench, replaced by rookie Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and former English international Freddie Burns.
Join us at 7:05pm for kickoff.
TAB Odds: Crusaders $1.05, Highlanders $8.50, draw $31
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tamaiti Williams, 4-Scott Barrett (c), 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Ethan Blackadder, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Christian Lio-Willie, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-David Havili, 13-Jack Goodhue, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Fergus Burke
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-George Bower, 18-Seb Calder, 19-Zach Gallagher, 20-Sioni Talitui, 21-Noah Holtham, 22-Braydon Ennor, 23-Macca Springer
Highlanders: 1-Ayden Johnstone, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Pari Pari Parkinson, 5-Will Tucker, 6-Billy Harmon (c), 7-Sean Withy, 8-Nikora Broughton, 9-Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, 10-Freddie Burns, 11-Connor Garden-Bachop, 12-Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 13-Josh Timu, 14-Jonah Lowe, 15-Sam Gilbert
Reserves: 16-Rhys Marshall, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Saula Ma'u, 19-Max Hicks, 20-Jame Lentjes, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Mitch Hunt, 23-Mosese Dawai
Crusaders coach Robertson reveals what he told players about All Blacks job
As speculation continues to grow about who will next coach the All Blacks, leading candidate Scott Robertson has revealed what he told his Crusaders players about his link with the job.
The six-time Super Rugby champion has long been seen as the obvious heir to incumbent Ian Foster's throne, with Robertson himself suggesting an appointment was imminent.
Instead, NZ Rugby has confirmed a decision won't be made for at least another 4-6 weeks, with no further comment expected until then. Its announcement will only increase conjecture, with the painstaking scrutiny not ready to die just yet.
For Robertson, the process isn't new to him or his players, and he admits having a conversation about his connection with the role.
"I just had a quick chat with the leadership group and just said, 'Look, there's potential for this to become something quite popular with the media'," he said.
"Which it is, 'but look, I'm here present with you and just tell me if you feel like we need to have any conversations along the way'.
"Just be open and upfront, that's the best way to do it and they've been great. A lot of [them] are experienced crew, it's been going on for a few years now.
"We're on, you've just gotta have the chat and be upfront.
"A lot of the boys aren't even into mainstream media, they might see it second or third-hand, but they're into the different forms of media.
"One or two might mention it to me, but it's not at the front of the list at all.
"I'm just doing my job today and whatever happens in the future, I'll deal with it then. Look, from experience, I've been around for a long period of time, it can drive a team."
After hinting an announcement on the process could be "in the next day" just a few weeks ago, Robertson now fronts a much more tightlipped persona.
He also plays down the level of distraction on his players, as the Super Rugby defending champions look to bounce back from a shock opening defeat to the Chiefs.
"I think it's a question for everyone else, rather than myself," said Roberton. "I've got a job to do and a job to finish here, that's my clear focus and I come in with the same energy every day.
"You can look into it what you want, but I'm here. All questions are to them, all questions are to NZR.
"A few critical key things we need to focus on to get right. We weren't far away in a lot of areas of the game, and we did a good job making sure we get those right and then get excited for next week.
"I think it's important you focus on just the things you need to get right, and there are some awesome efforts and incredible performances. There are just a couple of things in the game we need to get better at.
"Get those right and the rest works itself out, that's been our focus in round one. It has cleared the mind nicely and early for us.
"We would like to perform at our best in round two."
