The gutsy and unlucky Highlanders against a Blues Team who were fast out of the blocks to only fade very badly as the game wore on…. what will happen here?

Hell, it looks like no picks are easy in the Super 14 this year.

I have a sneaky feeling that the Highlanders might take this one at home… oh but wait, the Blues started so well in the 1st half against the Hurricanes…. shall I change my mind?

Form over the last decade dictates that the Blues should take this one…

Jimmy Cowan’s Highlanders however have some exciting new prospects, none more so than Michael Hobbs who came on as a replacement No 10 and set the game alight against the much vaunted Crudaders. To my mind the Highlanders coach, Glenn Moore is also more astute than the mediocre Pat Lam of the Blues.

On the Blues side nobody however can deny the class of Rudi Wulf, Isaia Toeava, Joe Rokocoko, Stephen Brett, Jerome Kaino, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock. Serious stars in their own right, competing with a team who have much fewer stars, but rather workhorses who give it their all.

It will boil down to who wants the win more and most pundits will probably pick the Blues to win.

My prediction is a win for the home team, the gutsy Highlanders… probably because I will never underestimate them again since last year when they comprehensively beat the Champion Bulls side… Landers by 5 in a game which does not see bonus points for tries.

Well, that’s what you call putting your whatsisname on the chopper… is’nt it?

Previous Super 14 results:
2009: Blues won 26-6 (Auckland)
2008: Blues won 40-15 (Dunedin)
2007: Blues won 28-9 (Auckland)
2006: Highlanders won 25-13 (Dunedin)

Teams:

Highlanders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jason Shoemark, 12 Jayden Hayward, 11 James Paterson, 10 Michael Hobbs, 9 Jimmy Cowan (captain), 8 Steven Setephano, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Clint Newland, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh.
Replacements: 16 Jason Macdonald, 17 Chris King, 18 Hayden Triggs, 19 John Hardie, 20 Sean Romans, 21 Robbie Robinson, 22 Fetu’u Vainikolo.

Blues: 15 Paul Williams, 14 Rudi Wulf, 13 Isaia Toeava, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Viliami Ma’afu, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Anthony Boric, 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Peter Saili, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 22 Rene Ranger.

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Josh Noonan (New Zealand)
TMO: Kane McBride (New Zealand)