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Highlanders 20 Rebels 17
Highlanders - Garden-Bachop & de Groot tries; Gilbert 2 conversions & 2 penalties
Rebels - Hardwick & Ili tries; Hodge 2 conversions & penalty
Fulltime
40th minute - Rebels inside the 22, but Nareki is up on Kellaway, who knocks on. One last chance, but the Highlanders are at the wrong end of the field.
The fulltime siren sounds and Golden Point looms. Highlanders win a scrum penalty, but try to break out of their 22.
Williams brings them back for the penalty and Hunt kicks to touch. Uelese returns from his yellow card.
Apisai throws long to the lineout and Harmon gathers the bounce. Highlanders building some phases outside the 22 and Nareki tries his luck down the left.
Highlanders win a penalty at the ruck just outside the 22 and Gilbert steps forward for a potential matchwinner...
He slots it and the Highlanders win.
39th minute - Rebels are in front of the posts with a drop kick an option.
38th minute - Rebels win a lineout and lay seige to the Highlanders 22. Highlanders steal the ball and Nareki kicks downfield.
Ioane lets the ball bounce, but sparks a counterattack to the Highlanders 22.
37th minute - Fakatava breaks from a ruck, but is penalised for not releasing in a tackle near the 22.
36th minute - Hodge drops out from his goal-line and Garden-Bachop takes the ball on halfway.
35th minute - Hunt finds touch near the Rebels 22 and the Highlanders desperately need to execute here.
Highlanders win the lineout and shift left, where Harmon splits the midfield defence. He draws the last defender and finds Lentjes to score under the posts, but replays show Kellaway held him up.
34th minute - Rebels bring Mafi back on at hooker for the scrum. Lentjes enters the game for the Highlanders.
Highlanders overpower the Rebels scrum and win a penalty.
33rd minute - Rebels win a lineout in the Highlanders half, but Kellaway and Wilkins mistime their connection in midfield.
32nd minute - PENALTY to Gilbert
Highlanders take the shot at goal against shorthanded opposition and level the contest, 17-17
30th minute - YELLOW CARD to Uelese
Highlanders clear an untidy scrum and enter the Rebels half. Umaga-Jensen breaks the defence, but Garden-Bachop is tackled before he can take the pass.
Williams has had enough and shows the hooker a yellow card.
29th minute - Gilbert pounces on a Rebels knockon, but Fakatava throws a forward pass and things are getting scrappy.
28th minute - Highlanders turn the ball over and Louwrens kicks high to halfway, knocked on by Garden-Bachop.
27th minute - From the scrum, Anderson runs an angle, but Harmon is again over the ruck for a Highlanders penalty.
Highlanders win a lineout outside the Rebels 22 and Fakatava has replaced Smith.
26th minute - Burns is replaced by Mitch Hunt. Frizell steals the Rebels throw, but Williams has the Highlanders for too many in the lineout.
24th minute - Highlanders turn the ball over in Rebels half, but win a midfield penalty at the ruck. Burns takes a cheeky tap and Garden-Bachop enters the 22, but the Highlanders are penalised for incorrect entry to the ruck.
22nd minute - Rebels take the kickoff and Ripley breaks upfield. Highlanders collect a loose pass and go on attack, winning a penalty on halfway.
21st minute - PENALTY to Hodge
Melbourne hit the front for the first time, REB 17-14
20th minute - Highlanders have replaced their front row and Rebels win a penalty in front of the posts, when the scrum collapses.
19th minute - Rebels trying to find a way into the 22, but Harmon is over the ball in a ruck to win a scrum feed for the Highlanders.
18th minute - Burns kicks off and Louwrens kicks high towards halfway. Rebels get the ball back and Kellaway breaks into Highlanders territory.
16th minute - TRY to Ili
Rebels build some phasea and have penalty advantage, but Ili finds a gap in the defence to lunge over. Hodge converst to level the scores, 14-14
15th minute - Wilkin wins the lineout and Rebels pour into the 22. Ripley almost finds a way through.
14th minute - Rebels win a scrum penalty and Hodge finds touch near the Highlanders 22.
13th minute - Highlanders spoil another Rebels lineout, but Lowe loses the ball in midfield.
12th minute - Renton wins the lineout, but Hicks is offside and Hodge clears to the Rebels 10.
11th minute - Williams brings them back for the penalty at the lineout and Burns kicks to the corner, forsaking an easy shot at goal.
10th minute - Burns finds touch inside the Rebels 22, Highlanders win the lineout and a penalty advantage.
Ninth minute - Highlanders steal another lineout and Nareki boots downfield. Highlanders win another turnover and a penalty in midfield.
Eighth minute - Big scrum from the Rebels, but the Highlanders go left, where they are penalised at the ruck. Hodge finds touch near the Highlanders 22.
Seventh minute - Rebels steal the ball and pour onto attack. Frizell makes a big tackle on Hodge in midfield and Highlanders have a scrum feed for the knockon.
Sixth minute - Hicks picks off the Rebels lineout throw and Highlanders shift right, where Paea is wrapped up.
Fifth minute - Burns finds touch inside the 22. Highlanders win the lineout and Paea takes a pass off the back, but Rebels win a clearing penalty.
Fourth minute - Canham steals the Highlanders lineout throw, but the Rebels spill a pass on halfway and Smith tries to engage Canham in close conversation.
Replays show Canham lashed out with his boot and Smith took exception. Williams penalises Canham.
Third minute - Rebels try to run out of their half, but Hodge throws a poor pass and the Highlanders break into the 22. Rebels counter-ruck and Kellaway clears.
Second minute - Hodge takes a kick and brings it back to halfway, but Kellaway spills the ball, before the Rebels can build an attack.
Renton charges off the back of the scrum and Burns kicks ahead.
First minute - No changes to either team at halftime, as Hodge kicks off for the second half. Highlanders control the kick and Smith pumps a high kick towards halfway.
Halftime
40th minute - Rebels win a defensive scrum penalty and Hodge boots to touch inside the Highlanders half. They win the lineout, but Ripley drops a pass and the Highlanders have one last chance before halftime.
Frizell reaches halfway, but Makalio spills a short pass to end proceedings.
39th minute - Makalio throws long to an attacking lineout, but Hicks has to reach for it and Renton can't take the untidy tap.
38th minute - Renton wins the lineout and Highlanders have a penalty at the ruck. Hick and Canham come together, and Williams urges everyone else to stay out.
37th minute - Paea enters the 22, but Wilkin dives on a loose ball for the Rebels and Hodge clears.
36th minute - The scrums are a mess and the Rebels win a free-kick, which Hodge kicks to touch outside the 22.
Renton wins the lineout...
34th minute - Burns kicks to the corner and Withy wins the lineout. The Highlanders maul rolls towards the tryline, but they're held up and Rebels win a scrum feed.
33rd minute - From the kickoff, Highlanders control the ball and Withy breaks upfield. Smith carries the movement on and the Highlanders eventually earn a penalty on the 22.
31st minute - TRY to de Groot
Highlanders laying seige on the tryline, with Frizell wrestling towards the posts. Highlanders have penalty advantage, but the prop overpowers three tacklers to score by the uprights.
Replays suggest he may have grounded short, but Gilbert slots the conversion quickl and the points are on the board, HIG 14-7
30th minute - Highlanders have a five-metre scrum and Burns finds Gilbert running an inside line.
29th minute - Hicks wins the lineout and Highlanders shift right, but Garden-Bachop is stripped of the ball. Nareki ends up with the ball and makes good ground towards the tryline, before Withy is shoved out in the corner.
28th minute - Garden-Bachop claims another high kick and Nareki kicks through to the Rebels 22, but Hodge clears down the centre of the park.
27th minute - Burns finds touch near the Rebels 22, but Makalio's long throw is picked off by Hodge.
26th minute - Highlanders have a scrum penalty on halfway, but they shift right. Burns kicks and there's no advantage, so back for the penalty.
24th minute - Rebels gather the kickoff and keep the ball in hand. Louwrens kicks high to halfway, where Garden-Bachop claims the ball, but the Rebels knockon in a tackle.
22nd minute - TRY to Hardwick
Philip wins the lineout, Ili runs a nice line and finds Anderson, who is dragged down short, but offloads to the No.8. Hodge converts, 7-7
21st minute - From the scrum, Highlanders try to run out of their 22, but Burns throws a long pass that Paea can't handle and the Rebels are still on attack.
20th minute - Rebels building phases near the tryline, but the ball is spilt by Philip in a tackle from Frizell.
19th minute - Canham wins the lineout, but the Rebels maul is going nowhere. Louwrens releases the ball and Harmon pounces on the receiver.
18th minute - Rebels have a penalty advantage and when Smith smothers a kick to the tryline, Williams brings them back for the penalty. Hodge kicks to the corner again.
17th minute - Canham wins the lineout and Mafi lunges at the tryline, but loses the ball. Highlanders try to run from their line and also spill the ball.
16th minute - Hodge kicks off and Rebels regain possession. Wilkin enters the Highlanders 22 and the Highlanders are penalised in front of their posts.
Hodge kicks to the corner...
14th minute - TRY to Garden-Bachop
Makalio takes a quick tap and rumbles towards the posts. After a couple of phases, Gilbert spills a bullet pass behind him, but his fullback is there to snap up the ball and score.
Gilbert slots the conversion, HIG 7-0
13th minute- Paea charges into the 22 and Highlanders have penalty advantage, as Frizell heads towards the posts. Paea powers over the tryline, but loses the ball, so back for the penalty.
12th minute - Highlanders win a lineout in their own half and Burns kicks high. Highlanders have a penalty, when Kellaway spills the ball and it's regathered by an offside teammate.
11th minute - Frizell wins a defensive lineout and Smith clears beyond the 22. Rebels win their lineout throw and Ripley enters the 22, but Highlanders win a clearing penalty at the ruck.
10th minute - Gibbon charges upfield, as the Rebels go on attack inside the Highlanders 22.
Ninth minute - After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to pack down, the Rebels get a scrum free-kick and boot downfield, where Garden-Bachop returns to halfway.
Seventh minute - Highlanders win the lineout and their maul is held up. Smith releases to Gilbert, but they can find no way through and Garden-Bachop loses the ball in a tackle.
Sixth minute - Frizell wins the lineout and Highlanders have a penalty for a collapsed maul. Burns looks to the corner again.
Fifth minute - From the scrum, Rebels break upfield, but they're penalised at the ruck on halfway. Burns finds touch near the corner flag.
Third minute - Hodge drops out from his goal-line and the Highlanders have the ball back, with Nareki reaching the 22. Paea spills the ball, so Rebels have a scrum feed.
Second minute - Highlanders build phases in the 22, with de Groot prominent. Frizell runs powerfully and after 13 phases, Gilbert splits the defence and spins over the tryline.
Williams sees a hand under the ball, so no try. The Highlanders are incredulous.
First minute - Paul Williams will be the referee this afternoon, as Burns kicks off for the Highlanders.
Philip claims the kickoff, but Hodge's clearance is charged down and the Highlanders pour into the 22.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium.
While the competition's heavyweights battle for home advantage in the quarter-finals, these two strugglers still have a chance of sneaking into the post-season, lagging just three points behind Western Force for the final qualifying spot.
The Highlanders have reeled off five straight losses and desperately need to break that trend, if they are to stay alive. They are back near full strength, after resting All Blacks Aaron Smith and Ethan de Groot against ACT Brumbies last week, but have struggled to find the right combinations throughout the season.
All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizell has been forced into second-row service, but the bench looks strong, with Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, Folau Fakatava and Thomas Umaga-Jensen poised to enter later.
Melbourne last won against Moana Pasifika on April 29, but a win today would propel either of these teams past the Force, who take on the Brumbies later today.
Join us at 4:30pm for kickoff.
TAB Odds: Highlanders $1.30, Rebels $3.40, Draw $21
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Shannon Frizell, 5-Max Hicks, 6-Sean Withy, 7-Billy Harmon, 8-Hugh Renton, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Freddie Burns, 11-Jona Nareki, 12-Sam Gilbert, 13-Fetuli Paea, 14-Jonah Lowe, 15-Connor Garden-Bachop
Reserves: 16-Leni Apisai, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Saula Ma’u, 19-Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 20-James Lentjes, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Mitch Hunt, 23-Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Rebels: 1-Matt Gibbon, 2-Alex Mafi, 3-Sam Talakai, 4-Josh Canham, 5-Matt Philip, 6-Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7-Brad Wilkin, 8-Richard Hardwick, 9-Ryan Louwrens, 10-Reece Hodge, 11-Monty Ioane, 12-Stacey Ili, 13-Lukas Ripley, 14-Lachie Anderson, 15-Andrew Kellaway
Reserves: 16-Jordan Uelese, 17-Isaac Aedo Kailea, 18-Pone Fa'amausili, 19-Trevor Hosea, 20-Tamati Ioane, 21-James Tuttle, 22-Nick Jooste, 23-Joe Pincus
