The Highlanders still lead the New Zealand Super rugby conference and many believe that the Crusaders are the team with the best form currently so this match should be a cracker.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick off. The teams are coming out onto the field. A good crowd of over 20 000 at the Brook.
0.01: The match is underway.
1.00: Highlanders start well and press the Crusaders back into their 25. A penalty comes and Brown will kick for posts.
2.00: Tony Brown takes the kick and misses.
Crusaders win the first line out and they pass to Fruean who busts through the defence and then gets caught. The Crusaders keep the ball alive amd move it into the Highlanders half.
3.00: Penalty to the Crusaders.Carter will kick for posts.
4.00: Dan Carter takes the kick and sends it well wide.
7.00: The game is starting to open up a bit more as the both team’s attack intensifies.
8.00: Penalty to the Crusaders. They take the quick tap and swing it out to Fruean. He busts over but we have to go upstairs to see if he got the ball down. That looked like he was short but the try is awarded anyway. TRY!
10.00: Dan Carter takes the conversion kick and nails it.
15.00: Penalty to the Highlanders from the scrum. Franks put his hand down. Brown takes it quickly and they catch the Crusaders napping. As they get over the half way line the Crusaders wake up.
16.00: Penalty to the Highlanders for not releasing. Tony Brown will have a shot at goal.
17.00: Again he is well wide.
19.00: Crusaders start throwing the ball around and look very dangerous. Ellis finds a gap and gets the Highlanders on the backfoot. A forward pass ends the attack.
20.00: The Highlanders win the scrum and kick the ball out to safety.
23.00: The Highlanders push the Crusaders back to the half way line. They did well to have weathered that storm from the Crusaders.
25.00: Penalty to the Highlanders. Brown takes the shot and slots it and the Highlanders are on the board.
27.00: Marius Joncker has a word with the Crusaders about repeated infringements – going over the top of the ball. Another penalty to the Highlanders so Brown take the shot but misses. Thats one from four.
29.00: The Crusaders win a penalty back so Dan Carter will get a chance to kick at goal. He too misses.
34.00: Josh Bekhuis enjoys a run down the wing which delights the home crowd but then he is caught. The Highlanders recycle and a penalty comes. Sam Whitelock is shown a yellow card for playing the ball on the ground.
35.00: Tony Brown takes the penalty kick and nails it.
36.00: The Crusaders see they have a penalty coming as they have the advantage and try a drop goal but it misses. They come back for the penalty. Dan Carter takes the kick and nails it.
38.00: Another penalty to the Highlanders. Tony Brown takes the shot but misses.
40.00: The siren sounds but we have time for a penalty. Dan Carter will kick for posts. He nails it. Thats it half time.
The half time score was Highlanders 6 Crusaders 13
The second half is underway.
43.00: The Crusaders start well and they are the first score as Kieran Read scores the Crusaders second try.
44.00: Dan Carter’s conversion hits the post.
47.00: The Crusaders are looking strong. They get the overlap but a crucial pass goes to ground.
53.00: The Highlanders win a penalty and Cowan takes the quick tap. He darts off and makes almost half the field. The support is slow. and the Highlanders get pushed backwards. Cowan gets some attention for blood as the Highlanders are awarded a penalty.
54.00: Replays show team mate Paterson accidentally stomped on Cowan’s head. Robbie Robinson has come on for Tony Brown so he takes the penalty but misses.
56.00: The Crusaders work the ball up to the line and press forward. They suck in the forwards and then swing the ball out to the line where Dagg scores untouched.
58.00: Dan Carter nails the conversion.
62.00: The Highlanders are trying their best to run the ball but they are simply being outclassed.
66.00: The Crusaders attack in the Highlanders 25. The Highlanders defend well and force the Crusaders to knock on.
67.00: The Highlanders put the ball into the scrum but Kahn Fotuali’i snipes for the ball and stumbles over the line and scores the bonus point try.
68.00: Dan Carter nails the conversion.
69.00: Crusaders go to the bench and bring on the subs. Dan Carter comes off.
71.00: The Crusaders are all over the Highlanders – left and right and eventually a gap opens and Dagg scores his second.
72.00: Matt Berquist’s conversion is way off.
73.00: The Crusaders are really starting to open up now as Sonny Bill Williams hands off one of his trademark passes to Wyatt Crockett who scores the sixth Crusaders try.
74.00: Berquist adds the conversion.
76.00: the Highlanders get a rare visit into the Crusaders 25. However they knock on and concede a scrum to the Crusaders.
78.00: Penalty to the Highlanders in the Crusaders 25. They take the quick tap and get the ball to the line. They suck in the forwards and then swing the ball wide and Adam Thomson scores!!
79.00: Robbie Robinson takes the conversion and it’s good. Thats it though. The Crusaders win.
The final score is Highlanders 13 Crusaders 44
Scorers
Highlanders
Tries – A Thomson
Pen – T Brown 2
Con – R Robinson
Drop –
Cards –
Crusaders
Tries – R Fruean, K Read, I Dagg 2, K Fotuali’i, W Crockett
Pen – D Carter 3
Con – D Carter 3, M Berquist
Drop –
Cards – Sam Whitelock (34st min) Yellow
Match Officials
Referee: Marius Jonker
Assistant Ref 1:Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2:Joey Salmans
TMO:Richard Kelly
Teams
Highlanders :1. Chris King , 2 Mo Schwalger , 3 David Te Moana , 4 Josh Bekhuis , 5 Tom Donnelly , 6 Jarrad Hoeata , 7 Adam Thomson , 8 Nasi Manu , 9 Jimmy Cowan (C) , 10 Tony Brown , 11 Siale Piutau , 12 Shaun Treeby , 13 Kendrick Lynn , 14 James Paterson , 15 Ben Smith
Replacements : 16. Jason Rutledge , 17. Bronson Murray/Jamie Mackintosh , 18. Nick Crosswell , 19. Alando Soakai , 20. Aaron Smith
Crusaders:1. Ben Franks ,2. Corey Flynn ,3. Owen Franks,4. Brad Thorn ,5. Sam Whitelock,6. George Whitelock ,7. Matt Todd ,8. Kieran Read (Capt),9. Andy Ellis ,10. Daniel Carter ,11. Adam Whitelock,12. Sonny Bill Williams,13. Robbie Fruean,14. Sean Maitland,15. Israel Dagg
Reserves: 16. Quentin MacDonald,17. Wyatt Crockett,18. Chris Jack,19. Jonathan Poff,20. Kahn Fotuali’i,21. Matt Berquist,22. Zac Guildford
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