Defending Champions Shocked as Rising Highlanders Star Emerges; Hurricanes Hang On to Defeat Drua

The reigning Super Rugby Pacific champions, the Blues, find themselves in a precarious position after enduring a challenging encounter against a dynamic fullback from the Southland region, suffering a 29-21 defeat to the Highlanders.

Just a week after Damian McKenzie notched up two tries for the Chiefs against the Blues, Finn Hurley followed suit for the Highlanders, marking his impressive debut at the Super Rugby level.

The Gore speedster dotted down in both halves, in a match that initially got off to a slow start but eventually transformed into a thrilling contest, much to the delight of the 14,207 Highlanders fans who began to sense a potential upset.

A pivotal moment in the match came in the form of a red card issued to Highlanders substitute prop Daniel Lienert-Brown in the 58th minute for a reckless cleanout.

Lienert-Brown charged into Blues reserve halfback Taufa Funaki while the Highlanders were building an attack, prompting referee Nic Berry to show a yellow card and refer the incident for further review.

This action resulted in an upgrade to a red card, leaving the Highlanders to play the final 20 minutes with only 14 players.

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Despite this numerical advantage, the error-prone Blues side was unable to take full advantage of the situation, as Jamie Joseph’s young squad put in a spirited effort, throwing their bodies into every contest.

In a performance filled with standout players, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Mitch Dunshea were exceptional for the Highlanders, while Hurley showcased the potential he has demonstrated over the past few seasons at NPC level.

The match’s early stages seemed unconceivable for such an outcome.

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The Blues had quickly amassed a comfortable lead within the opening quarter, seemingly with minimal effort.

Halfback Finlay Christie opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, following a powerful push from his pack close to the line, before Beauden Barrett added to the tally after a slick offload from Hoskins Sotutu.

Though Sotutu has been overlooked by the All Blacks in recent selections, he remains a formidable presence in Super Rugby with ball in hand.

At that moment, it seemed as though the Blues were on course to register a runaway victory against the Highlanders, their early dominance effectively silencing the crowd – a large portion of which comprised exuberant students in the Zoo enclosure.

However, following this initial burst, the Blues displayed a series of errors that would surely frustrate coach Vern Cotter.

It was in the 29th minute that Hurley ignited the Dunedin crowd with a spectacular individual try, retrieving his own chip kick and deftly weaving past covering defender Harry Plummer.

Although the 21-year-old still has areas for improvement, his ability to change the momentum of a match with his speed and attacking approach was evident, causing significant trouble for the Blues defence whenever he received the ball in open space.

A try from Sam Gilbert followed, along with a penalty that catapulted the Highlanders into the lead. Even after a brief response from the Blues, Hurley added to his tally following a superb exchange involving Taine Robinson, Caleb Tangitau, and Folau Fakatava.

Despite Lienert-Brown’s red card, the Highlanders managed to seal the win with two more penalties from Gilbert, signalling the commencement of Joseph’s successful second tenure with the southern franchise.

Prior to kick-off, an emotional tribute was paid to the late Connor Garden-Bachop, with both the Highlanders and Blues showing respect.

This marked the Highlanders’ first home match since Garden-Bachop, who played for them last year, passed away from a medical incident in Christchurch last June, at the age of 25.

In a departure from the traditional moment of silence or applause, fans at Forsyth Barr Stadium participated in a “moment of celebration,” singing along to Garden-Bachop’s favourite tune, Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver.

The entire Highlanders team gathered on the field prior to the match, with Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu presenting a No.14 jersey, honouring the number Garden-Bachop commonly wore on the wing.

Various former teammates, including Folau Fakatava, were visibly moved as tributes were made.

Co-captains of the Highlanders, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Hugh Renton, laid out a No.14 jersey and the squad performed a haka in honour of his family.

Jackson Garden-Bachop, Connor’s elder brother and a player for Moana Pasifika, recounted that the Highlanders approached the family to seek permission to honour Connor during their opening home match.

“Absolutely, but one request,” Jackson told the Dom Harvey podcast. “If there’s going to be a moment of silence, could you please change it to a moment of ‘make as much noise as possible’ instead?”

“That was Connor. He thrived on noise, he wanted the Zoo to be absolutely rocking.”

“I imagined that happening, and thought it would be a beautiful gesture. It’s a powerful thought.”

Earlier that day, Hurricanes’ young fly-half Harry Godfrey orchestrated a thrilling last-minute triumph over the Fijian Drua in Napier, basking in the sunny conditions of the picturesque wine country.

The Hurricanes avoided what seemed a certain upset in a high-scoring 11-try thriller with an exhilarating 38-34 victory, clinched by Godfrey’s 76th-minute score.

Trust placed in Godfrey, who usually plays fullback for Hawke’s Bay in the NPC, proved fruitful as he stepped into the No. 10 role for the Canes due to injuries to key players Brett Cameron, Lucas Cashmore, and Ruben Love. He showcased his promise with multiple standout performances as Clark Laidlaw’s side bounced back from an earlier defeat against the Crusaders, delighting nearly 12,000 fans in attendance during their first visit to Hawke’s Bay since 2021.

Godfrey made an impressive 69 metres, notched a clean break, evaded four defenders, and contributed defensively with six tackles, showcasing his all-round talent.

He was pivotal in much of the Canes’ creative play on an afternoon filled with attacking excitement, including one score initiated by a scintillating 49-metre run, before capping off a spectacular comeback by scoring late on the left following a brilliant break from Riley Hohepa.