The battle for third spot on the New Zealand log gets Saturday Super Rugby started, as the Hurricanes host the Highlanders in what is sure to be an entertaining match. Both these teams will have that sixth play-off spot firmly in their sights.
The Hurricanes have shown class this season, with an amazingly talented backline able to score tries from anywhere on the park, combined with the kicking boot of Beauden Barrett and a solid pack, this team is hitting decent form at the right time of the season. Keep an eye on South African born Reggie Goodes making his starting debut.
The Highlanders return from their South African tour, battered and bruised after two tough encounters, and will be testing some of their depth over the next few weeks, as they have one of the toughest run-ins to the playoffs.
Hurricanes: 1. Reggie Goodes,2. Dane Coles,3. Ben May,4. Jeremy Thrush,5. Jason Eaton,6. Faifili Levave,7. Karl Lowe,8. Victor Vito,9. TJ Perenara,10. Beauden Barrett,11. Julian Savea,12. Charlie Ngatai / Tim Bateman,13. Conrad Smith (c) ,14. Cory Jane,15. Andre Taylor
Replacements : 16. Motu Matu’u,17. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen,18. Brad Shields,19. Jack Lam,20. Chris Eaton,21. Tusi Pisi / Daniel Kirkpatrick,22. Tim Bateman / Alapati Leiua
Highlanders: 1 Chris King 2 Andrew Hore (c) 3 Ma’afu Fia 4 Josh Bekhuis 5 Jarrad Hoeata 6 Nick Crosswell 7 Adam Thomson 8 Nasi Manu 9 Aaron Smith 10 Mike Delany 11 Hosea Gear 12 Phil Burleigh 13 Tamati Ellison 14 Siale Piutau 15 Ben Smith
Replacements : 16 Jason Rutledge 17 Bronson Murray 18 Culum Retallick 19 Tim Boys 20 Jimmy Cowan 21 Chris Noakes 22 Kenny Lynn
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Ref 1:Keith Brown
Assistant Ref 2:Matthew Muir
TMO : Vinny Munro
Glen Jackson in the middle. Going to be a fun game, he is not a sissy ref who blows every little bump. Could get a bit “rowdy” out there.
Go Highlanders!!!
This is surely a GO Canes game for the sharks…
If the Canes win and the Sharks win later we move into the 6th position for a playoff place…
3 min into the game and the first blow of the whistle
a penalty to the Canes for a night tackle
Morning Chaps – stucl doin a Market today…pls keep the commentary coming
Barrett gets the first point of the game
PK
Highlanders 0 – 3 Hurricanes
4 min
Guessing we`re all behind the Canes today?
Although Rob`s ” Mass House Cleaning ” option if we don`t make the play-offs still sounds tempting to me . . .
Highlanders gets a chance to pull it level again but the PK is miss
the 2nd time the Canes gets an oppertunity in broken play inside Highlanders half and it comes to nothing
Highlanders 5 meter out
Highlanders try
Noakes scores and converts the try
Highlanders 7 – 3 Hurricanes
15 min
Go Highlanders beat the Hurricanes by 7
Highlanders on attack again
5 out from the line
Penalty, Hurricanes offside
opt for the line out
Tomson scores….
Noakes converts the try
Highlanders 14 – 3 Hurricanes
21 min
Hurricanes kncok from the kickoff
Hurricanes gets the ball and gets some momentum towards the Highlanders try line
Penalty, Highlanders offside
Barrett PK
Highlanders 14 – 6 Hurricanes
25 min
Noakes kick goes over the dead ball line, Hurricanes scrum on half line
Tomson gets the Highlanders a penalty, hurricanes holding on, lion out taken, and they knock….
Canes clears well and Highlanders make a hash of the counter conseding a kickable penalty for obstruction
Barrett PK
Highlanders 14 – 9 Hurricanes
33 min
A bad executed base kick gives the Highlanders a penalty, Hoakes hits the upright
@Franshark (Comment 27) : This time the Highlanders gets penalized for the same offence, I hate scrumy’s that kick
Hurricanes in broken play but loose the ball 7 metres from the try line…..
A lucky bounce saves the Highlanders after a kick was charged down within 10 meters from their line
Highlanders 14 – 9 Hurricanes
HALF TIME
2nd half…….
The Hurricanes keeping the ball in hand, through many phases and gets rewarded a penalty
Barrett makes a hash of the PK
Good kick and chase by Taylor, pity about the knock…
TMO will be called in for a Highlander score in the corner….
Interesting decisions but it was seriously touch and go
No try but a penalty for a late charge by Hurricanes 9 still coming
Try saving tackle by Taylor. Future All Black?
Hoakes PK
Highlanders 17 – 9 Hurricanes
47 min
Now the Canes regaines the kickoff and scores an easy looking try
Levave scores and the conversion is good
Highlanders 17 – 16 Hurricanes
49 min
Hurricanes looking to work the ball up toward the Highlanders try line, but concedes a penalty for holding on….
Highlanders gets some relieve
Interference at the line out brigs the Highlanders within the Canes 22
5 out
and they knock it, relieve for the Canes
2nd half defence from the Canes much better
HL line out Canes 22
Taylor gets hit… no smashed in a tackle…. getting up slowly….. actually leaving the field now
Canes doing some fearsome defending as the Highlanders keeps on attacking,
HL’s knock….
60 min done, some changes being made specially from the Highlanders
What’s the score Franny?
Gear almost thru but stopped by a hand holding on to his pants
@Just a Fan (Comment 51) : still 17-16
Come on Canes!
Hurricanes gets a penalty, late tackle by Tomson.
Barrett to get the Canes into the lead
successful PK
Barrett PK
Highlanders 17 – 19 Hurricanes
66min
Highlanders gets the the feed to a scrum, Canes 22
I know as a shark supporter I should be celebrating but this is not good news for my SB or Multible Bet !
Canes to do some more defending……
Highlanders gets a penalty, Canes off side…….
@Original Pierre (Comment 58) : me too!
Delany takes the kick from the side line
and slots it
Highlanders 20 – 19 Hurricanes
71 min
ooooooooh, what a break by Savea…. and he scores……
Barrett with the conversion,
over from the side line
Highlanders 20 – 26 Hurricanes
76 min
Canes on the defence again as Highlanders needs to score a converted try to win,
3 min to go
Highlanders gets a penalty, their hooker makes a hash of it and they loose the ball….
1 min
10 seconds and the HL gets a feed to a scrum….
my pick: Hurricanes by 6…..
FINAL SCORE
Highlanders 20 – 26 Hurricanes
@Franshark (Comment 69) : welldone!