Live coverage has concluded, please click here for the match wrap.
Highlanders 35 Blues 29
Blues: Tries - Ruru, R.Ioane, Laulala, Sotutu. Conversions - Black (3). Penalties - Black.
FULLTIME
One last chance for the Blues, but the Highlanders have turned it over! They clear into touch and seal a classic!
80 mins - TRY BLUES
Blues lineout in the corner. They ve got advantage, as Plummer kicks out towards the right wing. Heem wins it, and plays in Perofeta, but the Highlanders defend well.
We ll go back for the advantage, and the Blue go to the other wing - where Sotutu scores! This game isn t over!
Live Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa updates: Highlanders v Blues nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Highlanders now have Folau Fakatava, Vili Koroi (Sevens), Freedom Vahaakolo, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Fetuli Paea, Garden-Bachop and Solomon Alaimalo (personal reasons) missing from their backline.
In a messy, stop-start game in Dunedin, Ioane was close to the best player on the paddock when he was introduced in the second half, making line breaks, setting up his outsides, scoring a try and kicking his goals. It was the perfect response after being stood down the previous week for disciplinary reasons, and Brown will be looking for more of the same after chastising his own players for their performance in the 26-23 golden-point defeat.
Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa: Blues assistant coach Tom Coventry welcomes new Super Rugby teams - but he has some concerns
14 Apr, 2021 04:30 AM
4 minutes to read
Blues assistant coach Tom Coventry welcomes new Super Rugby teams - but he has some concerns. Video / Jed Bradley
Blues assistant coach Tom Coventry welcomes new Super Rugby teams - but he has some concerns. Video / Jed Bradley
Christopher Reive is a sports reporter for NZME@chrisreive
Blues assistant coach Tom Coventry has welcomed the addition of two new teams to Super Rugby, but admits their introduction is likely to dilute the talent pool.
New Zealand Rugby today announced Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua have been granted conditional licences to join a planned new professional competition.
Highlanders 23 Chiefs 26
Highlanders 23 (Lentjes, Smith, Ione tries, Hunt penalty goal, Ioane conversion, penalty goal)
Click here for full match wrap and highlights.
Full time
84 mins - Penalty goal to Chiefs to McKenzie
Big, big moment. From the 22 metre drop out, Frizell takes the ball into contact on halfway but Lienert-Brown wins a huge breakdown penalty.
McKenzie will have a second opportunity to win it with a penalty goal right on halfway.
He nails it to win it for the Chiefs. What a kick!!
83 mins
From the scrum, the Highlanders go wide to hunt who is brought down 15 metres out. Two phases later, Ioane drops back in the pocket, right in front but he misses the drop goal.