Hurricanes vs Highlanders: Super Rugby live scores, blog

Yeah - he really had a poor game I thought. If you assume Ben Smith is the incumbent at #15 then not really sure if Jordie is first back up on that kinda form.

The final one? Yeah hands messing around in the ruck. Coach is going to be fuming about that.

MATCH REPORT The Hurricanes have snuck past Kiwi rivals the Highlanders in a tense match by 25 to 22. Thanks to a final minute penalty goal the Canes have won the opening game of Round 4 of the Super Rugby and picked up crucial points against conference opposition. The game promised to be exciting with some incredible talent on the field. The opening period was a clash between the kicking skills of Beauden Barrett and the power of the Highlanders pack. The Canes looked to pin the Highlanders back deep in their own half and the visitors found it hard to get their way out of there. However that territory didn't lead to points for the Canes as the Highlanders showed time and again that they have a defence to be feared. They smashed the Canes runners back time and time again and then in the set piece they really monstered the home side. This helped them earn the first points of the game as they disrupted the Canes forwards on their own line and Aaron Smith was able to dab the ball down amongst a sea of forwards. The Canes persisted with their game plan though and eventually the results came. In the end it wasn't a big surprise who got the tries - Ngani Laumape picked up two in 13 minutes to give the Canes a lead at half time of six points (14-8). Laumape was on the end of good set up play for both his scores. The first was as a result of a great little pass from TJ Perenara and a great running line from Liam Mitchell who passed to the powerful centre and gave him an easy run in. The second try was thanks to some nice vision from Beauden Barrett - the play had entered a bit of a scrappy passage and while the Highlander's forwards were impossible to run through in and around the ruck, there was space out wide. Barrett saw this and kicked into it trusting Laumape to finish the move off and that he did. So at half time it was close but the Highlanders were going to need to add some attacking threat to their defensive and set piece power. Neither side had really dominated in the first half and there had been a fair share of errors that all coaches would have been desperate to see disappear. In the second half the game plan of the Canes continued and they looked to force the Highlanders back with some good kicking. But the Highlanders had other plans and their power game got them good ground with ball in hand. They worked hard and put together a number of passages of play with phase after phase of hard running that must have sapped the energy of the Canes. The visitors got some early rewards with a try to Sio Tomkinson who intercepted a Beauden Barrett pass as the Canes tried to run out of their 22. As the half continued the Highlanders confidence and control over the game grew and they stretched their lead with a well executed rolling maul off a line out that saw their hooker, Liam Coltman, get the score. The Highlanders were looking good for the win but the Canes fought back hard and eventually managed to get the all important score as Ben Lam finished off a nice passage of play. As Beauden Barrett missed the conversion though we had a tie game going into the final 7 minutes. The Highlanders had chances to finish off the game as they were back into the Canes 22 again in those final minutes but the Canes found a way to break out and then earned themselves a penalty right in front of the posts as the Highlanders couldn't cope with the desperate attacks from the home side. Barrett slotted the winning kick and both sides fell to their knees after a punishing match. The Canes will be relieved to get away with that one - they were clear favourites going into the match and with all the territory they had they would have wanted to convert that into some decent points. They were some great head to head clashes and none more exciting then the match up between the scrum halves. Aaron Smith definitely came off second best and TJ Perenara had a really good game. The Highlanders will look back at the 12 penalties and 10 handling errors and know that they should have won this one. These games against conference rivals are crucial and this one was there for the taking. They have some concerns at #10 as Josh Ioane is still very young and they will need him to learn quickly if they want to threaten for the Finals and title. With 5 tries in 2 games Ngani Laumape is not just knocking on the door of a starting All Blacks jersey but banging it down with a big bat. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep up this pace and how Hansen views him in his Rugby Championship plans. A really exciting game and great start to the round! Loads more rugby on The Roar this weekend so stay tuned and thanks for your involvement!!

FULL TIME!!!! The Hurricanes have squeezed past the Highlanders with a 25 - 22 win in the opening game of Round 4 of the Super Rugby. They had to wait until the last kick of the game as Beauden Barrett slotted the all important penalty. The Highlanders will be so disappointed as they could have won that themselves and have let a crucial conference win slip away. Match report to come but in the meantime what did you think about the game? Hurricanes 25 Highlanders 22 Time 80:00

PENALTY GOAL!!!! Beauden Barrett steps up and has nailed that kick and wins the game!!!!!! Hurricanes 25 Highlanders 22 Time 80:00

PENALTY!!!! Canes have earned themselves a penalty about 25m from the posts and dead in front!!! Wow what an end to the game! Hurricanes 22 Highlanders 22 Time 80:00

Highlanders defence working hard but Canes make some ground down their right wing with Aso. They then bring it back left and are up to about 30m from the line as the hooter sounds. Hurricanes 22 Highlanders 22 Time 80:00