What a game. For once the grand final produced a game worthy of the name Super Rugby, with both sides showing their intensity and desire from the first kick. Those 80 minutes just flew by. The Hurricanes must be shellshocked. The hosts hardly put a foot wrong, created a huge amount of pressure, and had the Highlanders on the ropes for long spells – but they just couldn’t find a way through when it mattered. The Highlanders were almost flawless throughout, whether it be their desperate defending, ruthless attack, or smarts around the set-pieces. If anyone even thinks about calling them underdogs again next season they want their head examined. So congratulations Highlanders – there really can be only one.
80 mins: They’ve done it! Amazing stuff from the Highlanders. They run the clock down then boot the ball into touch to cement a maiden title. Fully deserved. Incredible game.
79 mins: Is that it? The Canes need a converted try but the Highlanders have been immense all game. They just need to hold on for another 60 seconds-plus.
77 mins: Banks with more fancy footwork again after deciding not to go for the field goal. It buys him some precious metres and when the next opportunity comes up, he pots it. Seven-point gap.
76 mins: So close! The Highlanders were in for all money as Banks opts to run instead of kick. Just when it looks like try time, Savea makes an awesome block. Blimey.
75 mins: Time is short but it’s a brave fan who calls this one. It could still go either way. The Highlanders survived that intense spell of pressure with their lead still intact but just one mistake from a pair of tired legs and that’s it.
72 mins: Great defence from the Highlanders, failing to engage at the lineout and winning a turnover as a result as they harry the Canes. Their legs might be weary, but they’re still sharp upstairs.
Malakai Fekitoa on the charge. Photograph: Rob Jefferies/Getty Images
70 mins: Perenara refuses to go down despite some fierce shoves and bumps. The Canes gaining big metres against a tired-looking Highlanders. Sopoaga’s off the pitch too, with a knock. Pressure on the visitors, but they survive. Just.
68 mins: As good as they’ve been in defence, the Highlanders desperately need to launch a few attacks of their own, if only to give themselves a break. The crowd have sensed a shift in momentum. They’re suddenly in full voice.
64 mins: The home crowd can smell blood. The Canes are pressing but the Highlanders are matching everything they throw at them. Possession stats show the ball has been in Highlanders’ half for 82 per cent of the last 10 minutes. Surprised it’s not higher.
61 mins: Dear oh dear! Savea had it on a plate, the extra man in the corner... but he fumbles the final pass and a certain try goes begging. The pressure’s still on though. Scrum to the visitors 5m out from their own line.
60 mins: Lineout to the Highlanders 20m from their own line... and they fluff it. Canes piling on the pressure from the turnover. They need something from this.
58 mins: Ben Smith with a knock on and the Hurricanes have the ball about 35m from the Highlanders’ line. Scrum time. First few signs of fatigue? Just a few little mistakes creeping in.
54 mins: Highlanders punished for not releasing. Barrett brings the hosts back into it with the boot. Don’t get out of your seats, this one looks like it will go right to the wire.
52 mins: The Hurricanes must be wondering what they’ve done wrong to be 10 points behind. Very few mistakes, but the Highlanders have just been ferocious in defence and ruthless in attack.
Aaron Smith defends as TJ Perenara looks to pass the ball out. Photograph: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
47 mins: Superb try from the Highlanders. From one side of the pitch to the other and back again. Naholo with the finishing touch. Who else? Sopoaga hits the wrong side of the upright with the conversion.
45 mins: The Highlanders hustle and bustle their way right up to the end of the pitch, despite some HUGE crunching tackles from the Canes they hold onto it. This is amazing stuff.
43 mins: The Hurricanes are on a mission this half. They’ve somehow managed to step up their intensity... but the Highlanders are equal to it and manage to win a penalty to relieve the pressure. This is excellent rugby. Not that you’d expect any less.
41 mins: Peeeeep! And we’re off again. Can they keep up that intensity for another 40 minutes? On a selfish level, I hope not because my fingers can’t take much more of this. I can feel the arthritis taking root.
40 mins: Sopaoga boots the conversion from the corner and that’s it for the half. Great end to a great half. Give me a few minutes to catch my breath and I’ll be back soon.
Ma’a Nonu of the Hurricanes scores a try during the Super Rugby final. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images
39 mins: Dixon pulls three players over the line and forces the ball down, but Milner-Skudder’s heel is in the way. It goes upstairs and... it’s a try. Amazing strength to get over the line after a great pass from Aaron Smith.
38 mins: As is the way with this game, the Highlanders immediately go back on the offensive and only some great defending from the Canes keeps them out. Highlanders steal a lineout 10m out and suddenly they’re looking for a try of their own.
37 mins: Nonu charges over the line right in the corner from a scrum. The pressure finally tells, a just reward for the hosts although they were made to work very, very hard to get there. Conversion missed.
34 mins: Still the Hurricanes attack, and still the Highlanders hold them out from about 5m. Neither side giving an inch... not that the Highlanders have an inch to give. The Canes are right on the line.
32 mins: The Hurricanes are desperate for something. They’re right on the Highlanders’ try line now but their overeagerness leads to a penalty. The Highlanders take the break to catch their breaths, hands on heads all round.
29 mins: The Hurricanes batter away at the Highlanders’ 22m line from the restart. The Highlanders turn it over, though, and the Canes are forced to sprint back to receive the kick. Seconds later, Nonu is charging up the right flank. This is electric.
21 mins: This is brutal. The ball is all over the pitch, one minute Osborne is running into Shields’ shoulder, the next Nonu is battering through the Highlanders line. No let up so far.
18 mins: Surely something’s gotta give? Both sides running at each other, just one defensive error or slip and it’s try time. The Highlanders reach the 5m line only for the Hurricanes to turn it around and go up the other end. Still just the three points scored. Somehow.
16 mins: This is tense. Both sides playing running rugby and hitting on the counter-attack. Savea almost breaks through the Highlanders line but is dragged down. Great stuff.
12 mins: The Hurricanes pile on the pressure from the scrum, desperate defending from the Highlanders. They manage to hold one up but the ref calls it back for an earlier offside against the Highlanders.
9 mins: Neither side slacking on intensity. The Highlanders ahead but it’s the Hurricanes asking most of the questions. Another penalty and the Hurricanes kick deep into Highlanders territory for a lineout.
Malakai Fekitoa of the Highlanders charges forward. Photograph: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
7 mins: The Hurricanes immediately look to hit back, pushing and probing until the Highlanders give away a penalty. Barrett lines it up from distance and skews it just left of the posts.
4 mins: First blood to the visitors. Sopoaga with a penalty slightly right of the posts. The angle is no problem and it just has enough legs to get over.
3 mins: None of the early nerves that ruined the Waratahs’ start last weekend. High intensity from both sides early on. Some big hits already, Osborne barrelled off the pitch.
Thanks for joining me. If you thought Nick Kyrgios accidentally throwing a stick at some fans was the height of sporting excitement this weekend, then grab your popcorn and 3D glasses and get prepared for a proper blockbuster in Wellington tonight. This is the biggest clash in New Zealand since the Uruk-Hai attacked Helm’s Deep. Even Highlanders skipper Nasi Manu has been doing his best impression of the “Eye of Sauron” all week. And it’s Independence Day. Surely that spells box office gold.
And so with the obligatory New Zealand references to Tolkien out of the way, we can turn to business. Waratahs and Brumbies fans might still be bitter about last weekend’s respective maulings but there’s no doubt the competition’s best two teams are in the final (despite what the ladder might say). They also happen to be the competition’s two most exciting teams. Huzzahs. It’s win-win. Or win-win-win if you’re a Kiwi fan.
On home turf and after losing just two games all year, the Canes are favourites, but that won’t bother the Highlanders. Jamie Joseph’s side have been written off as underdogs so often this season he’s started feeding them Pedigree Chum as a pre-match meal. Can they upset the odds one last time and beat the Canes? We’ll find out shortly.
Richard is the man tasked with keeping you up to date with proceedings in Wellington tonight. He’ll be along shortly, so while you’re waiting why not have a read of Rajiv Maharaj’s preview of today’s showpiece event?
If the Hurricanes heed the lessons from the Tahs’ no-show in Sydney, they have the team to end the Highlanders fairy tale. The key for the Hurricanes is to disrupt half-back Aaron Smith. It might be easier said than done. However, slowing down his ball by dominating the collisions with the Highlanders forwards would seem the obvious place to start. Smith is too good to take down as an individual behind a pack holding parity.
