The Highlanders have played the Hurricanes 32 times in Super Rugby since 1996, winning 14 matches and losing 18.
The Highlanders 14 wins give them a record of winning 44% of their matches against the Hurricanes regardless of the venue.
- The last six Super Rugby clashes between the Highlanders and Hurricanes have been won by the home side on the day and the side leading at half-time.
- The Highlanders have won 14 of their last 15 home games (L1) in Super Rugby, four of those victories coming despite trailing at the interval.
- The Highlanders have won only one of their last five completed all-New Zealand Super Rugby derbies (L4).
- The Hurricanes have tallied 194 defenders beaten this season so far, 28 more than any other side; the Highlanders have beaten the fewest (89).
- Three of the top 10 metre-makers in Super Rugby this season are Hurricanes players (Ben Lam 383, Ngani Laumape 371, Jordie Barrett 328), no other side has more than two representatives in this list (Blues).
Match detail
We are waiting for the kickoff.
In the meantime why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin. A split kickoff catches the Hurricanes off guard, leading to an attacking scrum inside the visitors’ half.
3.00: Oh Boy! Ben Lam burst through a tackle after Ardie Savea’s turnover. Chase Tiatia cannot hang on to the ball, losing the ball forward with the try line at his mercy.
5.00: The Highlanders break from their 22 and kick down the field. They receive the lineout throw but turn the ball over. Beauden Barrett breaks for the Canes, and the visitors are on the attack.
7.00: Ricky Riccitelli breaks the advantage line and the tackle before sending the ball wide to Ngani Laumape. Laumape is stopped short of the line. Barrett puts in a bomb, but Tiatia can’t dot down the loose ball as it rolls over the dead-ball line.
8.00: The Highlanders concede a penalty at the breakdown from the scrum. The Hurricanes opt for another scrum, which is on the 22 in centre field.
10.00: Teihorangi Walden collects TJ Perenara’s grubber but is caught inside the goal line and has to dot down for a Hurricanes’ five-metre scrum.
11.00: Reed Prinsep cannot hold onto the ball, knocking on about a metre from the try line to the cheers of the home crowd.
13.00: Matt Faddes gets the ball on the wing, and he pumps the ball down the field. The Hurricanes can’t hang on to the pill, giving the ball back to the Landers on halfway. The home team’s ball is slow, forcing Kane Hammington to go to the air.
15.00: Ben Smith runs back Beauden Barrett’s kick. Marty Banks clears, but the Hurricanes are on the attack near halfway.
16.00: Ben Smith chases Faddes’ kick, putting pressure on Perenara, who clears past his 22.
17.00: NO TRY! Walden breaks through a gap but is tackled short. The Highlanders send the ball wide, but the try is chalked off for a forward pass. The hosts get a penalty and Banks kicks to the corner.
18.00: The Highlanders are camped on the Hurricanes’ try line.
19.00: TRY! The home team use their big ball carriers as they bash the opposition’s try line. Seven phases later, Shannon Frizell reaches out and dots down for his 10th Super Rugby try. 5-0
20.00: CONVERSION! Banks adds the extras. 7-0
21.00: The Hurricanes come straight back, going through 10 phases on the Highlanders’ goal line.
22.00: TRY! Beauden Barrett and Laumape both go close before The move started when Jordie Barrett went around Richard Buckman, who looks to have pulled a calve which meant he could not get to Barrett. Twelve phases later, the Hurricanes score through Perenara from close range. 7-5
23.00: CONVERSION! Barrett levels. 7-all
25.00: It’s end to end. Both teams are turning the ball over and counter-attacking with vigour. The Highlanders’ midfield defence has been dodgy tonight, allowing four line breaks.
27.00: Perenara has a feed to a defensive scrum inside his side’s 22. The scrum is reset.
28.00: Ben May is bleeding profusely from the head; he also gave away a penalty, which Banks kicks to the corner.
29.00: TRY! The Highlanders don’t panic after the initial drive was stopped. The maul splintered before Ash Dixon crashed over; however, the hooker looks to have knocked on as he tried to ground the ball, but the TMO Ben Skeen tells referee Glen Jackson to award the score. 12-7
30.00: CONVERSION! Banks adds the extras. 14-7
32.00: The Hurricanes win another penalty, which Beauden Barrett puts out on the home team’s 22. The Highlanders survive after Riccitelli’s skew throw.
34.00: Hammington is pinged for going off his feet at the ruck after Rob Thompson’s big tackle on Beauden Barrett. The visitors opt for a lineout drive, but they lose possession with a wayward throw allowing the Highlanders to counter-attack from their goal line.
35.00: Ben Smith knocks on after his break started the attack.
37.00: Another kicking duel ensues with both sides looking for territory. The Hurricanes win the battle and they have a lineout inside the home side’s half.
38.00: Ben Smith wraps up Tiatia after Banks’ high ball. The Highlanders forwards win the race to the breakdown and win the turnover after a massive ruck.
39.00: TRY! Against the run of play. Tevita takes contact but tries to offload, instead, he pops to Ardie Savea, who runs 75 metres for his 19th Super Rugby try. 14-12
40.00: CONVERSION! Barrett levels, again. 14-all
The halftime score was Highlanders 14 Hurricanes 14
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway under the lights in Dunedin.
43.00: Both teams turn the ball over inside the opening minutes before the Highlanders are pinged at the breakdown. Barrett calls for the tee.
44.00: PENALTY! The first-five slots the penalty to put the Hurricanes in front for the first time in the game. 14-17
48.00: The Hurricanes are using their ball carriers to move the ball up the field. Eventually, the momentum is halted and Barrett kicks deep, but the ball rolls into the goal line for a 22 drop-out.
50.00: A loose Faddes’ pass is collected by Thompson. Somehow the Highlanders break down the field. Savea tackles Li, saving a try after Frizell’s initial break. The Hurricanes get caught offside and they kill the home team’s attack.
51.00: Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger will be happy with his team’s intent as they opt for an attacking scrum, instead of taking the points.
52.00: The scrum is reset twice – expect a penalty for the next infringement.
53.00: The scrum goes down again. Mr Jackson talks to the front rowers before resetting another scrum.
54.00: TRY! Hammington darts under the posts, cutting inside Tiaitia to score after a powerful scrum by his forwards. 19-17
55.00: CONVERSION! Banks increases the slender lead. 21-17
56.00: Great counter-ruck by the Otago forwards wins them a penalty. Five of the six front rowers are subbed off by the respective coaches.
57.00: Banks can’t gather his chip-kick, but the Highlanders had a penalty-advantage, and so the first-five kicks to the corner. Tiatia is off, Jordie Barrett moves to fullback and Matt Proctor goes to outside centre.
58.00: TRY! The Highlanders bulldoze their opponents with another fantastic driving maul. James Lentjes gets up with the ball. 26-17
60.00: CONVERSION! Banks makes no mistake. 28-17
61.00: TRY! Sensational from Lam, who barges through three defenders, bounces another before sending a pass to the supporting Savea. The flanker, packing down at No 8, swerves past two cover defenders and goes over in the corner. WOW! 28-22
62.00: CONVERSION! Barrett reduces the deficit from out wide. 28-24
64.00: This is some derby; it’s tit-for-tat as both teams strike after each other.
65.00: The Hurricanes take a scrum free-kick quickly, pinning their hosts back in their half with a clearance kick.
67.00: TRY! Beauden Barrett breaks the line after a scrum and offloads out the back door to Laumape, who slips Banks’ cover tackle and races away for another try to give his team the lead. 28-29
68.00: CONVERSION! Barrett adds the two. 28-31
70.00: NO TRY! The Highlanders are camped inside the Canes’ 22. They go wide after eight phases to Li. The winger beats a tackle and dives over in the corner, however, Wes Goosen’s tackle pushes Li into touch. It is a 22 drop-out to the guests.
72.00: John Plumtree will be happy with his charges; they’ve answered everything the Highlanders have thrown at them, although, Vaea Fifita is pinged at the ruck allowing the hosts to kick to the 22.
73.00: USE IT OR LOSE IT! The Hurricanes hold up the Highlanders’ driving maul; it’s the first time the visitors have stopped the set-piece, tonight.
75.00: OH DEAR! What are you doing! A mix up at the base of the scrum leads to a knock on and an attacking scrum inside the Hurricanes’ 22.
77.00: MASSIVE SCRUM! Superb drive by the Hurricanes’ forwards. They win the penalty and can clear the danger.
78.00: Thompson kills a nine-phase attack with a poor pass into touch. It’s been a momentum-swinging game with each side making errors at the death in Dunedin.
80.00: CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! The Highlanders win a penalty at the breakdown, and Banks kicks to the corner instead of going for the tie.
81.00: Jeff To’omaga-Allen is pinged for a side entry at the maul. Banks kicks to the corner – again. It’s squeaky-bum time!
83.00: YELLOW CARD! Liam Mitchell is sent to the sin-bin because of another infringement, this time collapsing the maul. Banks kicks to the corner for the third time. The next infringement must be a penalty try.
84.00: OH NO! The Highlanders contest the lineout putting pressure on the jumpers. It works because the ball is knocked forward. The Hurricanes clean up the loose ball and punt it into the stands to end a thrilling contest in Otago.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Highlanders 28 (14) Hurricanes 31 (14)
Scorers
Highlanders
Tries – Frizell, Dixon, Hammington, Lentjes
Pen –
Con – Banks (4)
Drop –
Cards –
Hurricanes
Tries – Perenara, A. Savea (2), Laumape
Pen – B. Barrett
Con – B. Barrett (4)
Drop –
Cards – Mitchell (Yellow, 83′)
Match Officials
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Ref 1: Nick Briant
Assistant Ref 2: Paul Williams
TMO: Ben Skeen
Teams
Highlanders
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Matt Faddes, 13 Richard Buckman, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Marty Banks, 9 Kayne Hammington, 8 Luke Whitelock (co-captain), 7 James Lentjes, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Josh Dickson, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Ayden Johnstone.
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Siate Tokolahi, 19 Jackson Hemopo, 20 Elliot Dixon, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Rob Thompson.
Hurricanes: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Jordie Barrett, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Thomas Perenara (captain), 8 Reed Prinsep, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Kane Le’aupepe. 4 James Blackwell, 3 Ben May, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Fraser Armstrong.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Jeff To’omaga-Allen, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Liam Mitchell, 21 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 22 Finlay Christie, 23 Matt Proctor.