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Highlanders vs Waratahs: Super Rugby live scores, blog

14th June, 2019
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Highlanders

49

Match Complete

NSW Waratahs

12

81
HIG49 : 12NSW

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14th June, 2019
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Highlanders

49

Match Complete

NSW Waratahs

12

E. Dixon81
R. Thompson79
71M. Mason
J. Ioane40
T. Walden38
34
28M. Mason
27A. Newsome
J. Ioane24
W. Naholo23
J. Ioane19
T. Franklin18
J. Ioane11
T. Li9
J. Ioane8
J. McKay7

7
Tries
2
6
Conversions
1
0
Penalty Goals
0
0
Field Goals
0

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The Highlanders and Waratahs will go head to head in Invercargill on Friday to kick off the final round of the Super Rugby regular season.

Both sides still have the faintest sniff of Finals rugby but neither side has their fate totally in their own hands – a fact that will disappoint both sets of coaches and fans given the potential in their teams.

Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of this exciting match starting from 5:35pm AEST on Friday.

Now if you’ve been paying attention you’ll have noticed that this final round of the regular season requires a degree in quantum mechanics and a lot of patience when you try and figure out which team needs to do what in order to make the finals.

For these two teams it is actually very simple – they both need to win this game and win big. That’s not to say that a bonus point win gets them into the finals – not at all.

But given that they only stand a chance of extending their season if they walk off the field with that bonus point win in the bag before the rest of the round’s matches takes place – it does make it straightforward.

So let’s hope that we see some great open, attacking rugby where both sides go for broke from the outset.

Unfortunately for the Highlanders, winning bonus points have not been their speciality this season. They’ve only got one and that was against the Sunwolves.

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Add to this fact that this final regular season game is in the open – and very wet – air of Invercargill and that the home side will be missing Ben Smith and the task to score lots of tries becomes harder and harder.

However there are some things in their favour. Firstly, if it is a wet game then they are going to want their forwards to fire and some of the front men are in great form including Liam Coltman and Jackson Hemopo and the returning Liam Squire will be a great addition.

Secondly, their opponents are coming into town with some serious firepower and experience missing. Whether it’s a good strategy or a bad one, the Tahs have left it until the final round to give their Wallabies their agreed rest round.

This means that the Tahs will be missing captain Michael Hooper, full back Kurtley Beale, flyhalf Bernard Foley and key forwards Rob Simmons and Sekope Kepu. That is a lot of talent from all over the field that won’t be there.

The Tahs are going to need a very good game from Nick Phipps who will need to bring both control and enthusiasm to the team.

Equally the inexperienced back three of NSW are going to need to be on top form – they are likely to be peppered with kicks and high balls by Aaron Smith and Josh Ioane and the slippery conditions will make it even more challenging.

On the upside for the Tahs, there are a lot of new players in the side who will know this is a great opportunity to impress and get lots of game time.

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Prediction
Both sides know that they have to score lots of tries – it’s very simple.

The conditions look like they won’t lend themselves to an open game and so both sides will rely upon their packs and their halves to establish dominance in the first half.

As a result the Highlanders are in the driving seat and should pick up the win to help Liam Coltman celebrate his 100th game for the club.

Highlanders by 10.

Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of this exciting match starting from 5:35pm AEST on Friday.

Where: Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
Date: Friday 14th June 2019
When: Kick off 5:35pm AEST
TV: Fox Sports
Betting: Highlanders $1.05, Waratahs $10

Highlanders
15 Josh McKay
14 Waisake Naholo
13 Rob Thompson
12 Teihorangi Walden
11 Tevita Li
10 Josh Ioane
9 Aaron Smith
8 Luke Whitelock (c)
7 James Lentjes
6 Liam Squire
5 Tom Franklin
4 Jackson Hemopo
3 Tyrel Lomax
2 Liam Coltman
1 Ayden Johnstone

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Replacements
16 Ash Dixon
17 Daniel Lienert-Brown
18 Siate Tokolahi
19 Josh Dickson
20 Shannon Frizell
21 Kayne Hammington
22 Marty Banks
23 Elliot Dixon

Waratahs
15 Alex Newsome
14 Cam Clark
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
12 Lalakai Foketi
11 Curtis Rona
10 Mack Mason
9 Nick Phipps (c)
8 Michael Wells
7 Will Miller
6 Hugh Sinclair
5 Tom Staniforth
4 Ned Hanigan
3 Tom Robertson
2 Damien Fitzpatrick
1 Harry Johnson-Holmes

Replacements
16 Andrew Tuala
17 Rory O’Connor
18 Shambeckler Vui
19 Ryan McCauley
20 Jed Holloway
21 Jack Dempsey
22 Jake Gordon
23 Tautalatasi Tasi

Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref: Brendon Pickerill, James Munro
TMO: Glenn Newman

2019 Form (last 5 games)
Highlanders – DWLLD
Waratahs – LWLWL

Played 24
Highlanders won 9
Waratahs won 15

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