FULLTIME: The Highlanders have beaten the Crusaders 34-26! Highlights are up now in the video above...
80 min: TRY CRUSADERS! Dagg will have the final say after running onto a fantastic offload from Read. It won't be enough for the bonus point, but it's a nice finish for the visitors. 34-26.
75 min: The Highlanders defence is relentless to the very end. They've been in the Crusaders face all game and it's been fantastic to watch.
71 min: TRY HIGHLANDERS! Liam Squire busts a tackle and he's over! The Highlanders just kept coming and the Crusaders did their best to hold off for so long. But Squire ran right past McNicholl and that might be that as Sopoaga converts. 34-19.
69 min: Friendly fire as Faddes' shin catches Naholo on the head while he's on the deck. The winger eventually gets to his feet, and will go down the tunnel for a concussion test.
65 min: Time is up for Wheeler, but he'll go sit on the bench and Franklin runs on in his place. Highlanders back to full strength.
60 min: TRY CRUSADERS! Finally it comes for the Crusaders as Taufau finishes off a patient attack out wide. 27-19.
58 min: The Highlanders win a penalty off a Crusaders scrum on their own 5m line! What a stop, and boy, it means something to this forward pack. Aaron Smith is getting the high-fives rolling.
56 min: Todd Blackadder has seen enough and he sends on Ryan Crotty for Fonotia.
55 min: YELLOW CARD! Wheeler is off to spend ten in the bin for a late shoulder off the ball. If the Crusaders are to make a comeback, you got to think it happens now.
52 min: TRY HIGHLANDERS! Faddes is in again! He just flicks the switch and decided to put the foot down. He cuts inside (and beats) Jone Macilai-Tori and then sets off with his ears pinned. Highlanders up 27-12.
50 min: Crusaders guilty of forcing things here. Havili and Dagg both try and off-load in the tackle and the ball goes to nobody.
46 min: Another stoppage in play for more shirt pulling from both teams. Sam Whitelock not happy with things and sprays a few words.
42 min: Highlanders straight back onto the attack. Faddes gets around Fonotia again and Ben Smith's kick and chase on the wing is grabbed by a Crusader who is scragged into touch.
41 min: That first half lived up to the billings, what will the second have in store? Sopoaga gets us back underway.
HALFTIME: The Highlanders score three first half tries to take a 20-12 lead into the break.
39 min: BOOM! Dagg is knocked into next week by Luke Whitelock! He hammers the fullback onto his back as he tries to spark something from the back.
36 min: TRY HIGHLANDER! The hosts are making it look easy as they carve open the Crusaders. A huge overlap develops out wide and Sopoaga gives it to Naholo who crosses with ease for his second of the night. The kick is over and it's 20-12.
30 min: TRY HIGHLANDERS! A beautiful move from a lineout inside the Crusaders half and Smith finds Faddes with a cutout pass. He's through a hole and backs his pace all the way to the line! Faddes just took off and the Crusaders couldn't keep with him. Highlanders lead 13-12.
27 min: The Crusaders win a penalty from the scrum and it's that man Mo'unga teeing it up again. He's 4 from 4 tonight! 12-8.
25 min: Havili attempts a cross-field kick of his own, but he's asking a little too much of McNicholl and the crowd lets out a cheers as the ball goes out on the full.
22 min: TRY HIGHLANDERS! Waisake Naholo is over in the corner after an AMAZING kick from Sopoaga! His flat cross-field kick is on the button and the Highlanders winger catches and scores. The kick is away and the Crusaders hold a slender 9-8 lead.
18 min: NO TRY! Luke Romano reaches out and dots down...but the referee wants to check it. He thinks the Crusaders lock made a double movement, and the TMO agrees with him. However, advantage was played so they will come back for a penalty...which Mo'unga converts. 9-3.
15 min: CHANCE! With Ben Smith making the previous tackle, Dagg sees the space in behind and drops a kick in for Read. The All Blacks captain gets there first, but Aaron Smith has SOMEHOW denied him! He got a hand in there as Read grabbed the high bounce and tried to ground it. It's sent to the TMO and ruled no try.
13 min: It's Mo'unga again as he gives the Crusaders the lead with his second penalty. 6-3.
10 min: Crusaders having plenty of success at breaking the line with inside ball. It's Read connecting with Taufau, who finds Todd. Good little gain from the Crusaders loosies.
7 min: Crusaders knocking on the door after Richie Mo'unga slides through a gap after beating two defenders. Inside the 22 now and slowly pushing forward. But the Highlanders are pinged for being offside and Mo'unga will have the chance to tie it up...He makes no mistake! 3-3.
5 min: We've got a bit of handbags breaking out! The two No.13s come together and a few others come in to commit to some push and shove. It's a testy feeling out there.
2 min: As expected, an early kicking duel has broken out. Ben Smith is cleaned out late by Johnny McNicholl and the referee blows for the first penalty of the game. He has words with McNicholl and let's him off with a warning. Anyway, Sopoaga has the first chance at points tonight, and the first kick sails through the posts. 3-0 Highlanders.
Kick-off - We're underway in Dunedin!
7:30pm - Match-up I'm really interested in tonight is Ben Smith against Izzy Dagg. Smith is the best fullback in the business, there's no doubts about that. But you've got to feel Dagg wants to impress tonight. His performances have surely put him on the cusp of an All Blacks recall, and tonight will be his chance to really put his best foot forward against the current ABs No.15.
7:25pm - It was a Dunner Stunner today and the Zoo is in fine voice tonight. It's a sell-out so the atmosphere should be rocking all night.
Commentary will start from around 7:25pm (NZT). In the meantime, check out the video above for a preview of tonight's big game in Dunedin.
Highlanders
1. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 2. Ash Dixon, 3. Josh Hohneck, 4. Alex Ainley, 5. Joe Wheeler, 6. Elliot Dixon, 7. Dan Pryor, 8. Luke Whitelock, 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Lima Sopoaga, 11. Patrick Osborne, 12. Malakai Fekitoa, 13. Matt Faddes, 14. Waisake Naholo, 15. Ben Smith (c).
Reserves: 16. Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17. Craig Millar, 18. Siosiua Halanukonuka, 19. Tom Franklin, 20. Liam Squire, 21. Fumiaki Tanaka, 22. Marty Banks, 23. Teihorangi Walden.
Crusaders
1. Wyatt Crockett ,2. Codie Taylor, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Luke Romano, 5. Sam Whitelock, 6. Jordan Taufua, 7. Matt Todd, 8. Kieran Read (c), 9. Andy Ellis, 10. Richie Mo’unga, 11. Jone Macilai, 12. David Havili, 13. Kieron Fonotia, 14. Johnny McNicholl, 15. Israel Dagg.
Reserves: 16. Ged Robinson , 17. Joe Moody ,18. Mike Alaalatoa ,19. Scott Barrett ,20. Tim Boys , 21. Mitchell Drummond , 22. Ryan Crotty, 23. Marty Mckenzie.
Pre-match banter:
The explosive return of Highlanders flyer Waisake Naholo has new Super Rugby leaders the Crusaders on edge ahead of tonight's southern derby.
Assistant coach Tabai Matson can't deny his team are playing well but he believes they will be taken into deep waters by a Highlanders side who produced arguably their best rugby of the season in last Saturday's 26-13 drubbing of the Chiefs in Hamilton.
Three-Test All Blacks winger Naholo scored two tries in a scintillating return from injury, having fractured his leg in the opening round.
Last year's competition-leading tryscorer with 13, Naholo showed he is more than just a finisher, Matson noted.
"At the breakdown he was a beast. He's thrown the gauntlet down for our two wingers," Matson said.
"It's going to be a massive challenge to contain parts of their game that are really hard to contain. One of those is the one-on-one match-ups on the edge."
Another area to focus on will be fielding high kicks, with Matson describing the Highlanders as the "kicking-est" team in the competition.
Matson says his team isn't getting carried away with their ladder position, believing it is tenuous given their taxing schedule remaining in the regular season.
Newshub.