Here we go, welcome to round 8.
The talking point here will be the return of former Crusader Mose Tuiali’i, who will join the All Black retirement home that the Highlanders have become in recent weeks. They seek their first season win against the almost-as-desperate Blues.
Kick-off is at 08h35 SA time.
Blues: 15. Charles Piutau, 14. Frank Halai, 13. Rene Ranger, 12. Jackson Willison, 11. George Moala, 10. Chris Noakes, 9. Piri Weepu, 8. Peter Saili, 7. Luke Braid, 6. Steven Luatua, 5. Ali Williams (Captain), 4. Culum Retallick, 3. Angus Ta’avao, 2. James Parsons, 1. Tim Perry
Replacements: 16. Keven Mealamu, 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18. Anthony Boric, 19. Brendon O’Connor, 20. Jamison Gibson-Park, 21. Baden Kerr, 22. Francis Saili
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Buxton Popoalii, 13 Jason Emery, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Mose Tuiali’i, 7 John Hardie, 6 Jarrad Hoeata, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Chris King, 2 Andrew Hore (captain), 1 Jamie Mackintosh.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Ma’afu Fia, 18 TJ Ioane, 19 Elliot Dixon, 20 Fumiaki Tanaka, 21 Lima Sopoaga, 22 Phil Burleigh.
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Come on Highlanders…Time for a win 😐
@Viking (Comment 1) : Did you go Landers on Superbru? 🙄 😆
Blue starting to claim this game, handling not very good but good expansive play with their strong runners. Landers, are seriously week on the basics, kicks, break downs, passes. They have just knocked it on, on the Blues try line, trying a silly off load, why not keep it and set up another Phase?
13 -12 to blues at half time
Forgive me, 12 – 13 Landers at half time.
That Tackle was by no means deserving of a yellow, Yes it was high, but it was ducked into, not intentional. But let’s hope Popoalii is ok.
Blues lead the Landers 19-13 19 mins to play.
Landers score a try in the corner, Slade misses the kick, Blues lead 19 -18
Noakes converts a penalty, 22 – 18 Blues
Ranger and Weepu link up for their second try in the exact same fashion, to take their team to a 11 point lead 29 – 18.
6 mins to play, and it looks like the Highlanders will go level with their worst SuperRugby start in history (6 loses in 2008)
The Blues take it.
29-18 is the final score. Shocker
@robdylan (Comment 13) : Not really a shocker, Blues are on form, Landers forgot how to play rugby, a Blues win was expected
Highlanders took over the cancer from the Blues, seems certain players are just bad for team morale.
@Die Kriek (Comment 14) : no, I mean the Landers losing 6 in a row
@FireTheLooser (Comment 15) : you mean Ma’a Nonu?
@robdylan (Comment 17) : Yep!
It might be presumptuous of me to think that, but he joined the Blues last year and they went from competitive to utter garbage. This year he joined the Landers and they went from competitive to utter garbage.