Match Highlights - Rebels sweat on Jaguares favour after Highlanders loss
Reece Hodge's heroics were in vain as the Highlanders left the Rebels' quest for a first Super Rugby quarter-final spot out of their hands with a 43-37 victory at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.
Australia utility-back Hodge scored a hat-trick and racked up 29 points, but the Highlanders outscored the Melbourne franchise by six tries to four to edge home in Dunedin.
Defeat for the Rebels means they need the Jaguares to draw or beat the Sharks in Durban later on Saturday in order to secure a place in the last eight.
The Highlanders could face the Lions, the Jaguares or the Waratahs at the quarter-final stage after putting back-to-back defeats behind them with a win in their final match of the regular season.
Waisake Naholo produced a magnificent last-ditch tackle to deny Jack Maddocks right at the end, having earlier ran 80 metres for a superb solo try before scores from Kayne Hammington and Teihorangi Walden put the Highlanders 21-13 up at the break.
Hodge claimed a first-half double and charged down Josh Ioane's kick to complete his treble and put the Rebels 31-22 up, but Tevita Li, Greg Pleasants-Tate and Thomas Franklin crossed and Lima Sopoaga took his tally with the boot to 13 points as the Highlanders edged it.
George Bridge also helped himself to a hat-trick as defending champions Crusaders extended their winning run to 12 matches with a 54-17 rout of the sorry Blues.
Bridge scored three of eight tries for Scott Robertson's rampant side, who wrapped up top spot last week, and Jack Goodhue crossed twice in a one-sided clash at AAMI Stadium.
The Waratahs will go into their quarter-final on the back of a 40-31 defeat to the Brumbies, who scored four of their six tries in an impressive first-half display.
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I’m looking forward to attending the Twickenham match, I don’t think it will have a bearing on the outcome of the grand prize itself but it will tell us more about each teams’ preparation and game plan. It’s hard to look past one of the big four (I’m including Canada) lifting the trophy in 2025 but sport is a curious thing, there will still be twists and turns in road ahead.
Go to commentsThe better side seems to be the losing side a lot these days. As far as narrative goes. Must be the big emergent culture of “participation awards” that have emerged in nanny states. ”It looked like New Zealand would take the game from there but lapses in execution let South Africa get back into the game. New Zealand’s goal kickers left five points out there, including a very make-able penalty on the stroke of half”. Sounds like a chronic problem… I wonder how the better team has lapses in concentration and execution? Or are those not important factors in the grand scheme of total performances? In 2023, the ABs at least didn’t give up a lead to lose. They just couldn’t execute to get the points and take the lead. This Baby AB result points to a choke - letting the game slip through your fingers. In the words of the great Ricky Bobby’s dad - “If you’re not 1st you’re last!” Loosely translated - if you didn’t win, you’re a loser.
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