As it happened: Super Rugby - Highlanders vs Lions

The Highlanders are coming off a heavy defeat to the Sharks last week.
The Highlanders are coming off a heavy defeat to the Sharks last week. Photo credit: Photosport

FULLTIME: HIGHLANDERS 39 - 27 LIONS: Well, we were promised an open, expansive game and that's what we got. It was end-to-end but the Highlanders were just too good in the end. A good result, considering the travel they've had to do in the last week. Thanks for joining us.

80mins: HIGHLANDERS PENALTY GOAL: Lions go high in the tackle and the Highlanders will run the clock out with a shot at goal. Sopoaga takes his time and slots the penalty. Fulltime.

78mins: Highlanders do well to hold the Lions up in the tackle and force the turnover. Garnder, the ref, this time calls the maul. Highlanders manage to clear the ball from the scrum but kicking.

76mins: HIGHLANDERS PENALTY GOAL: Sopoaga puts up the bomb and it bounces back the Highlanders way! They're taking it up through their forwards before they go right to Thompson but he's well tackled. Schoeman tries to make the steal but is penalised. Sopoaga will have a shot at goal and he nails it.

74mins: LIONS SCHOEMAN: Erasmus gets up to win the lineout and Smith is close! Schoeman picks it up at the ruck, spins out of a tackle and crashes over for the try. Easy as you like.

72mins: Lions again put the pressure on at the scrum and win the penalty. They want the lineout. They need two converted tries.

70mins: Highlanders try a cross kick and Nabura takes it in but it's only really got sideways. They now kick downfield and the Lions look to counter. Mahuza is free down the left wing, steps one and is up just five metres out. The player coming in however knocks it on for the scrum.

67mins: Lions go over the top with the throw. Lions look to attack but knock on at the breakdown. Smith clears but his kick is charged by Groom so we'll come back for the error. 

65mins: HIGHLANDERS TRY - WALDEN: Thompson sees little on, so tries a cheeky two metre grubber for himself, wins the race to the ball and passes to Walden who races in untouched to score the try. Great piece of individual brilliance by Thompson.

63mins: This time, the Highlanders drive and somehow Sopoaga picks it up off his bootlaces. A huge tackle by Janse van Rensburg leads to a Lions turnover at the breakdown.

61mins: No advantage is called as the Highlanders win the penalty. What will they do? They want a try and we'll have a lineout. They win it and look to drive but the Lions sack it. Schoeman does brilliantly to get over the ball and win the turnover. Jantjies clears but danger's not over. Another lineout.

59mins: Sopoaga tries a cheeky kick through but Dyantyi does well to track back and counter effectively. Highlanders get it back however and they're up near the 22m.

57mins: Mostert gets up to win the lineout and the Lions look to take it through their forwards. Ball comes loose and the Highlanders win the penalty for not releasing.

55mins: Highlanders try to be tricky at the lineout but it's messy, but somehow get it back. Coltman is penalised at the breakdown and the Lions win the penalty.

53mins: Combrink is racing down the right hand sideline once again, beating Naholo but his foot is in touch. Nevermind, assisant reckons that but he never made contact with the chalk.

51mins: Dyantyi takes it in and Lentjies is penalised at the breakdown. It'll be a Lions lineout on halfway.

49mins: LIONS TRY - COETZEE: Lions put the pressure on the Highlanders pack and force the penalty at the scrum. They win the lineout and try the drive. They're marching closer and Coetzee is over for his second try.

47mins: Dyantyi makes a nice cut back into field and the Lions shift right. Combrink is free down the right wing, has Coetzee free on his inside but Sopoaga saves the day but knocking it down. No penalty called. Should be, but it's not. And if it's not, it shouldn't be everytime. Rule needs a serious look at.

45mins: HIGHLANDERS TRY - NAHOLO: Walden passes the ball a MILE forward to Smith to put him free down the right wing, but no call from the ref, and the fullback draws in the last defender to put Naholo in for the try.

43mins: Lions do well to force the maul but the Highlanders break away. Lions turn it over and Erasmus, the lock is in space! He tries an offload but it goes forward and Smith cleans up.

41mins: We're back underway and it's the Highlanders on attack. Lions turn it over and Coetzee's in bit of space and somehow offloads before going into touch. Mostert hangs on too long at the breakdown and it's a penalty.

HALFTIME: HIGHLANDERS 19 - 15 LIONS

40mins: LIONS TRY - COETZEE: They win the lineout and drive! They're closing on the try line and they're over! Refs have a chat and it's given! Wow, what a last five minutes from the Lions. It's Coetzee who's got the try.

40mins: They win the lineout and they're playing with another advantage. They're taking it up through their forwards and a pass into touch means we'll come back for the penalty. Another lineout it is.

40mins: Lions take in the restart easily and look to drive. They have the advantage and up over halfway. They'll go for the lineout just on the 22m. Great chance this.

38mins: LIONS TRY - VORSTER: Lions somehow win the lineout at the back and Kwagga Smith spins out of tackle. They're just a couple of metres out and Vorster is over for the try after a great inside pass from Jantjies. Looked easy in the end in what's been a tough go of it this half.

36mins: Sopoaga immediately kicks deep from the restart and Coetzee looks to counter. Lions trying their best but they just look one dimensional at the moment. Some resolve as they win the penalty. Lomax guilty of not rolling away.

34mins: HIGHLANDERS TRY - WHITELOCK: Highlanders putting it through the phases and are up to the 22m. Thompson beats a couple, offloads to Dixon who and he flings it back in field to Whitelock who somehow manages to hold onto to it to score the try.

32mins: Sopoaga clears off the back of the scrum and it'l be a Lions lineout just up over the 10m. Mostert wins it and the Lions look to take it up through their forwards but they knock on and it's a turnover.

30mins: Highlanders opt to kick and pin the Lions inside their own 22m. There's space for Mapoe and he's away! He's up over halfway and offloads to Kwagga Smith and the Lions are up to the 22m. Groom tries an inside pass to Vorster but it's forward.

28mins: Lions pick off the Highlanders lineout and Orie's taken in the air after the steal and it's a penalty. Lions struggling to cope with the rush defence of the Highlanders. They try a chip kick but Hammington covers well. Whitelock is in space and they're up near the five metre line before Walden's kick for Naholo goes dead.

26mins: Highlanders breakout through Naholo and Ben Smith kicks with nobody home! The Lions forwards get back, but they run right over the top of them and win the turnover. Hammington's pass hits a Lions player in the head and Smith picks it up to go over for the try. They're checking upstairs and they rule him offside. They'll go back for the penalty and we'll have a lineout.

24mins: Lions make a couple of good offloads and are now up to the Highlanders 22m. Highlanders turn it over and Ben Smith pumps it long and the Lions will have to start again.

22mins: Lions try to breakout from their own 22m from the scrum and Combrink's chip over the top almost pays off but the Highlanders get it back. They look to attack now but Rangitoto College alumnus Alex Ainley knocks on.

20mins: Highlanders win the lineout and begin to drive. The call's use it so they shift right and finally some good defence from the Lions forces a forward pass.

18mins: Dyantyi does well to get up and catch another poor Groom box kick. Thompson does brilliantly to make the spot tackle and steal the ball. Highlanders win the penalty after a dangerous tackle.

16mins: Highlanders looking to attack from inside their own 22m and Naholo beats a couple to take them up to near halfway. They're looking very dangerous with ball in hand. They decide to pin them back inside their own 22m with a grubber.

14mins: HIGHLANDERS TRY - COLTMAN: Lions win the lineout and try the drive but Dixon does brilliantly to read it and sack it legally and then win the penalty. Highlanders now hot on the try line and have the advantage. Pressure is mounting and Coltman crashes over for the try after a quick pass from Hammington.

12mins: Another penalty as Ben Smith holds on for too long at the breakdown after taking a great catch. Jantjies finds touch with a great kick inside the Highlanders 22m.

10mins: LIONS PENALTY GOAL: It's smack in front and the Lions decide to take the easy three and Jantjies does just that. Game's being played at real pace.

9mins: Dixon is penalised for holding on too long and the Lions win the penalty. Jantjies takes the tap! Whitelock gets bumped off. There's space for Coetzee down the left wing and they're up into Highlanders 22m as Dylan Smith takes it up. Another penalty, this time for offside.

7mins: Walden tries a grubber kick through with a rushing Lions defence and it goes into touch just up over halfway. Lions win the lineout but it's messy.

5mins: HIGHLANDERS TRY - SOPOAGA: Groom's box kick is charged down and the Highlanders have it! They're up over the 22m. Should be a maul, but it's not called and the Highlanders continue through Ben Smith. They shift left and an ugly pass beats everyone into the hands of Sopoaga who crashes over for the try.

3mins: Lions get the free-kick and take the tap. Dyantyi tries an offload in the tackle to Combrink but he's well covered and the Highlanders force them into touch.

1mins: Jantjies gets us underway and Nabura is already in space down the left win! He beats a couple, taking it up over halfway. What a start. The Highlanders go right but knock on.

7:34pm: Moments away from kick-off. Should be a cracker of a game with plenty of running.

7:31pm: No Aaron Smith for the Landers, while there's no Marx for the Lions. So both really big losses.

7:29pm: Both sides are coming off defeats. The Highlanders were thrashed by the Sharks, while the Lions were beaten by the Hurricanes.

7:25pm: Welcome, welcome, welcome! For part two of tonight's games featuring a Kiwi outfit. 

Kia Ora and welcome to Forsyth Barr Stadium as the Highlanders host the Lions in round 13 of Super Rugby.  

We bring you live streaming written commentary, (BE SURE TO REFRESH YOUR BROWSER), and all the action. Video will be available as soon as the final whistle goes.

Commentary will start at 7:20pm (NZT)

Lineups

Highlanders

15 Ben Smith (c), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Tei Walden, 11 Tevita Nabura, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Kayne Hammington, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 James Lentjes, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown

Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Kalolo Tuiloma, 19 Josh Dickson, 20 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21 Josh Renton, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Sio Tomkinson

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrink, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith.

Replacements: 16 Jacques van Rooyen, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza

Match officials
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Refs: Brendon Pickerill, James Doleman
TMO: Glenn Newman

Previous results
Sat, 30 Jul 2016 Semi Highlanders v Lions 30-42 Johannesburg
Sat, 12 Mar 2016 Highlanders v Lions 34-15 Dunedin
Sat, 09 May 2015 Highlanders v Lions 23-28 Johannesburg
Sat, 10 May 2014 Highlanders v Lions 23-22 Dunedin
Sat, 28 May 2011 Highlanders v Lions 22-26 Dunedin

Head-to-head
Highlanders $1.32 Lions $3.35

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