The Highlanders host the Lions at Forsyth Barr Stadium, in Dunedin tonight. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:40pm AEDT.
We have reached the witching hour of Super Rugby. With six or seven games left to play in the season, it’s the time of year for teams in the mid-section of the table to start using their spells and magic tricks to claw their way out of the competition graveyard.
This year, the Lions have won one of three games against New Zealand teams. They aim to even out their record today. The Highlanders, on the other hand, lost one from three against South African teams, the loss coming in last week’s defeat to the Stormers in Newlands.
A Lions win will pull them ahead of the Rebels, this game gives the Highlanders a real chance to hit second place for the New Zealand conference. If the Highlanders score a bonus point win, they surpass the Hurricanes. They may also jump over the Cantabrians, if the Reds prevent the Crusaders from getting a bonus point win.
The Lions won three of last five versus the Highlanders
The latest Lions triumph was their last contest in the demolished Carisbrook, 2011. Today, the Highlanders will be looking to demolish the Lions their new stadium. Bookies tend to support them with over five to one odds for the Highlanders to win.
Boshoff to overtake Sopoaga’s tally
With 127 points, Sopoaga is the second highest point scorer in Super Rugby, behind Beauden Barrett. His flyhalf counterpart, Boshoff has scored 124 so far. Because Sopoaga’s injured ankle will stop his point scoring tally for at least three weeks, Boshoff’s magic boot will likely add another around 12 points to his tally and move him to second place.
Captains versus Captain
This is the pair to watch. Veteran and co-captain Nasi Manu is 112kg, has delivered 105 tackles, 179 metres, 63 carries, 10 lineout wins, and eight defenders beaten.
The Lions’ captain is 97kg Warren Whiteley. His Super Rugby career spans a mere nine games. So far he has delivered 114 tackes, 202 metres, 58 carries, 32 lineout wins, and nine defenders beaten. Whiteley has a good opportunity to outmatch the veteran.
Aaron Smith versus Francois de Klerk
Both Smith and de Klerk are among the worst tacklers for their team. But they also deliver the most metres. Expect spaces in the middle to be exploited by both.
‘Set-In pieces’
At 82.8%, the Highlanders have the fifth worst scrum in the competition – just ahead of the Waratahs. The Lions have the best scrum, with a 92% success rate.
But they are third last for lineouts. Highlanders are ninth place. With a starting pack that is over 70kg heavier, a back five that is 10cm taller than the Lions, the team from Otago needs to conjure some set piece sorcery.
To fail in this match would be embarrassing for them. More importantly, they can give up any hope to claw up the ladder.
The field
The weather forecast is dry because the stadium is covered. Temperature forecast is 10 degrees. The referee is the up-and-coming Angus Gardner, who I believe is shaping to be one of the best officials – though I hope I haven’t jinxed him.
Prediction: The Lions will win the kicking contest. The Highlanders, average twice the number of clean breaks of the Lions, will win the running contest. Penalty kicks give you three points. Tries gives you seven. The winner should be quite easy to predict.
Mark
Guest
There were no end of tries scored off of forwards passes this weekend...(I only remember one blatant one for the Highlanders)...there were at least 2 for the Crusaders Its becoming a joke.. This utter tosh about hands and direction - if the balls gone forward its gone forward and its a forward pass... Still - no SA side deserves to win if all they can do at every lineout is another bloody boring maul
Sylvester
Guest
He did reset after he moved back, but he'd already been stationary as though he was preparing for the kick. I think based on that the Highlanders were entitled to go.
Owen
Guest
Plus one of the Lions tries that the commentators called as forward. It turns the game into a bit of a farce. The commentator then said "it deserved a try" even though the pass was forward. I assume he thought the Highlanders' ones 'deserved tries too? This isn't American Football. passing forward even by centimeters gives attacking players the chance to evade the last defender by running past the ball which is what players did in those occasions. There is a reason passes must go backwards out of the hand.
The Lions showed more guts than any other SA Franchise. But sadly this year's refereeing is of really questionable quality.
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
Now you're just being silly, calm down.
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
It was a lack of experience from the ref at the end and he froze. Like Wayne Barnes before him, Angus will get better as he learns from these mistakes and hopefully he doesn't take the incoming criticism personally because other than that call at the end he didn't seem to be doing a bad job. Australia hasn't produced many (if any) good refs as of late and Angus could be someone that could break that drought. Acknowledge the mistake, absorb the criticism and be better, he's only young. A tough, unlucky day for the Lions and I hope that they get a few good calls over the next few weeks.
Tane Mahuta
Guest
That isnt what happened. He had not started his run up forwards or backwards. Between the time they charged and the time he started his run up was about 5 secs. He lined it up, steped back, they charged, he got in his Johnny Wilkinson pose, they went back to the goal line, he then started his approah. You have it wrong.
Ozee316
Guest
Besides that, I count two of the Highlanders 3 tries coming off obviously forward passes with the line judge right there to see and TMO was used. No way those tries should have been given.
44bottles
Guest
@ Kuruki https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk8oC__AkpE
DSF
Guest
dont feel too bad for them, they have had their fair share of shocking decisions go their way.
RobC
Roar Guru
Last year Bryan Habana vs Canes. Almost exactly 12 months ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGCh_akk_NE
RobC
Roar Guru
My pleasure DC.
Sylvester
Guest
Even Dan Carter's first movement is back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A62G24E87g
Sylvester
Guest
I think it's simply about putting the kicker off. Did Larkham charge down a conversion once?
Kuruki
Roar Guru
I feel your pain mate. I actually felt guilty that the All Blacks got a second chance. I think charging kicks should be banned just like a penalty. Simple fix to an annoying little grey area of the game.
richard
Guest
A four day turnaround for the Landers.I wonder if that and the trip back from SA took its toll in the second half. Any way you look at it,they can count themselves very lucky to get out of this game with a win.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Quite simply i think they should just ban charging all together. I can't remember the last time someone was effective, but i can remember plenty where they have broken the laws.
Sylvester
Guest
The description "begins approach" is quite vague. For some kickers, a first movement backward is the beginning of the approach. For me, if you're stationary after setting up, movement in any direction is the start of the approach. However, that's just my view, and possibly the ref's in this case.
Digby
Roar Guru
Thanks for the updates Rob
RobC
Roar Guru
HIGHLANDERS Got away with that one. Had a few opportunities to get that bonus point try. Soft on defence. LIONS: Great comeback. Keeping ball in the hand, didn't work in the first half. But worked like a dream on the second, helped by a sinbin. Found a lot of holes all over the park. Missed a lot of kicks, which was ultimately the difference between the two sides. Turning point was the Chris King card. Lucky it was only a yellow, for now.