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Super Rugby Preview: Highlanders v Blues (20/04/19)

    • The Highlanders have won 10 of their last 14 matches against the Blues in Super Rugby (L4), succumbing to defeat in their most recent encounter however (33-26).
    • The Highlanders are on a five-game losing streak (excluding draw v Crusaders in Round 5), they haven’t lost more than five in a row since an 11-game slump between Round 15 2012-Round 10 2013.
    • The Blues haven’t visited another New Zealand Super Rugby club and come away with the victory since Round 2 2013 (L22), they haven’t beaten the Highlanders on their own track since Round 11 2011 (losing six since that occasion).
    • The Highlanders have produced three straight Super Rugby games of 100% goal-kicking (13/13), since 2011 the only other time they have achieved this was Rounds 9-12 2014 (they had a bye in Round 10).
    • Blues’ Rieko Ioane has made 18 clean breaks in Super Rugby 2019 so far, more than any other player, the All Blacks star scored a brace against the Highlanders back in Round 6 earlier this season.

The Highlanders have played the Blues 32 times in Super rugby since 1996 and the Highlanders have won 15 matches, drawn none and lost 17 times.

The Highlanders 15 wins out of 32 matches gives them a record of winning 47% of their matches against the Blues regardless of venue.

This weekend the match will be played in Dunedin which is home for the Highlanders and the venue where the teams have met 15 times.

In those 15 matches played in Dunedin the Highlanders have won 10 matches and lost 5. This gives the Highlanders a record of winning 67% of their matches against the Blues at home.

The average score when the Highlanders play the Blues in Dunedin is : Highlanders 24 Blues 23.

The Highlanders have won the last six matches against the Blues in Dunedin and the Blues have not won in the city since 2011.

This suggests the Blues do not like playing at Forsyth Barr Stadium as they had a much better record at the House of Pain.

Average score: Highlanders 23 Blues 26

Last five results
Fri, 22 Mar 2019 Highlanders 26-33 Blues @Auckland
Fri, 20 Apr 2018 Highlanders 34-16 Blues @Auckland
Fri, 23 Feb 2018 Highlanders 41-34 Blues @Dunedin
Sat, 08 Apr 2017 Highlanders 26-20 Blues @Dunedin
Sat, 11 Mar 2017 Highlanders 16-12 Blues @Auckland

Highlanders overall record against the Blues
Played 32 , Wins 15, Losses 17 , Draws 0

Teams
Highlanders
Daniel Lienert-Brown, Liam Coltman, Tyrel Lomax, Jackson Hemopo, Tom Franklin, Shannon Frizell, James Lentjes, Elliot Dixon, Kayne Hammington, Josh Ioane, Tevita Li, Teihorangi Walden, Patelesio Tomkinson, Matt Faddes, Ben Smith (CC)
Replacments : Ash Dixon, Ayden Johnstone, Siate Tokolahi, Josh Dickson, Luke Whitelock (CC), Aaron Smith, Bryn Gatland, Thomas Umaga-Jensen.

Blues
15 Melani Nanai, 14 Caleb Clarke, 13 TJ Faiane, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Otere Black, 9 Jonathan Ruru; 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Tom Robinson, 5 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons, 1. Karl Tu’inukuafe.
Replacements: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Ofa Tuungafasi, 19 Josh Goodhue, 20 Jed Brown, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Matt Duffie.

Match Officials and details
Date :Saturday 20 April
Venue : Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick Off local: 19:35
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 1:Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2:James Doleman
TMO : Shane McDermott

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