Highlanders 32 Crusaders 29
The Highlanders have finally snapped their 19-game losing streak against New Zealand opposition, beating the Crusaders 32-29 in a thrilling Super Rugby Pacific clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. The win solidifies the Highlanders’ place in the top eight and deals a potentially fatal blow to the Crusaders’ playoff hopes.
Coming into the match, the Highlanders were in better form, having won their last two games against the Force and Moana Pasifika. On the other hand, the Crusaders had only managed two wins from their first ten games, a far cry from the dominant side that has won the last seven Super Rugby titles.
The Highlanders started strongly, with Tanielu Tele’a scoring a fortuitous try in the 6th minute after the ball bounced off teammate Nikora Broughton’s head. Tele’a showed great awareness to scoop up the loose ball and race away untouched to score. Cam Millar added the extras and then slotted a penalty to give the hosts a 10-0 lead.
The Crusaders hit back through a Sevu Reece try in the 9th minute, the winger finishing off a well-worked move in the corner. However, the Highlanders extended their lead in the 21st minute when Millar finished off a brilliant team move sparked by a Folau Fakatava break. Fakatava burst through a gap around the fringes of a ruck, drew the last defender, and offloaded to Millar, who raced away to score under the posts. Millar’s conversion and a penalty gave the Highlanders a 20-7 lead.
The Crusaders showed their class with a brilliant 60-meter try finished by Dallas McLeod in the 18th minute. Levi Aumua hit Johnny McNicholl with an inside ball before combining with Noah Hotham, who drew the last defender and sent McLeod away to score a stunning team try. However, the Highlanders took a 26-14 lead into the break thanks to Millar’s boot.
The second half saw the Crusaders mount a comeback, with Reece scoring his second try in the 45th minute. The electric winger chipped ahead, regathered, and then stepped inside the cover defence to dot down. However, the Highlanders’ defence held firm, with wing Timoci Tavatavanawai particularly impressive at the breakdown, winning three crucial turnovers.
Millar continued to punish the Crusaders’ ill-discipline, slotting two more penalties to extend the Highlanders’ lead to 32-22. The Crusaders scored a late try through Macca Springer, who finished off a slick backline move in the 81st minute to secure a bonus point, but it was too little, too late.
The win was the Highlanders’ first against a New Zealand team since April 2021, ending a run of 19 straight losses. It was built on a much-improved performance compared to their last home game’s error-strewn display against the Force.
For the Crusaders, it was another disappointing result in a season that has gone from bad to worse. Their once-vaunted defence was repeatedly cut open by the Highlanders’ attack, while their discipline let them down, conceding nine penalties in the first half alone.
There were some bright spots for the Crusaders, with halfback Noah Hotham impressing and All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor getting through 66 minutes in his first game back from a sabbatical. However, with tough games against the Brumbies and Blues to come, their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
The Highlanders, meanwhile, have solidified their place in the top eight with their third straight win. They will look to continue their winning run when they face the competition-leading Blues at Eden Park next week.
In the end, it was a much-needed win for the Highlanders and a further blow to the Crusaders’ fading title hopes. With the regular season reaching its climax, the race for the playoffs is heating up, and the Highlanders have put themselves in a strong position to be part of the action.
