Super Rugby Aotearoa

Flanker Dalton Papali'i grabbed a brace for the Blues, who ran in four tries but had to defend desperately in the closing minutes to secure the win.

Blues winger Caleb Clarke kickstarted proceedings after barely five minutes with a strong finish from an attacking lineout, Otere Black's conversion giving the home team an early 7-0 lead.

The Highlanders took little time to respond, skipper Ash Dixon barging over from close range and Mitch Hunt adding the extras to level the scores.

The Crusaders captain was ruled out of the remainder of the competition on Wednesday with a foot injury.

Barrett suffered the injury to the structures supporting his big toe while playing in the team's inter-squad match on June 13, forcing him to miss their competition opener last weekend against the Hurricanes.

After consultation with a foot specialist, it was decided Barrett would undergo surgery, with exact return to play dates uncertain at this stage.

Lockdown and the cancellation of the regular Super Rugby season meant Christchurch had only been able to host two games so far this year.

Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge said 13,000 seats had already been sold at the 17,000 capacity stadium and was confident the remainder would be snapped up by their rugby-starved fans.

The Blues will host the southerners at Eden Park on Saturday, with a 7.05pm kick-off.

MacDonald said a number of the squad have pressed hard for inclusion but the current group continued to prove themselves on the paddock.

The only change comes in the reserves where England international Joe Marchant is included in what will be his final match for the Blues before returning to his Harlequins club in London.

“The whole squad are training hard, and our current starters are getting tested at every training session, which is what we want,” said MacDonald.

In March the company announced it would take up to 60 days to refund people who had purchased tickets through them after the government banned large events as part of its Covid-19 lockdown rules.

However, many people are still waiting for their refunds and are yet to hear from Ticket Rocket, according to Stuff.

It was also revealed that Super Rugby franchise, the Hurricanes, has laid a complaint with police over concerns that Ticket Rocket broke rules under the two parties' agreement.

So it is no surprise their lack of discipline against the Hurricanes last weekend has been a focal point as they prepare to host the Chiefs in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon.

Conceding 15 penalties, most of them in the first half, didn't stop the red and blacks nabbing a 39-25 bonus point win, but it certainly kept the hosts in the contest.

Indeed, the Hurricanes were outscored five tries to one, yet the game was locked at 25-25 with a quarter of an hour to play.

Robertson hinted that captain and lock Scott Barrett may not play in Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Barrett missed his team’s opening match in Wellington because of a foot injury. Robertson on Friday said the 26-year-old All Black damaged the plantar fascia tendon.

“It is with a specialist currently, and they are going to make a call once they have re-scanned his [Barrett’s] foot this week,” Robertson told stuff.co.nz.

“We should have a definitive decision on Friday, if he is going to be here for Super Rugby Aotearoa.”

Mo'unga's 69th-minute try snapped a 25-25 deadlock and came when Hurricanes replacement Cobus Van Wyk mistakenly passed the ball to the Crusaders' Mitchell Drummond less than five metres from his own tryline.

The scrumhalf flicked the ball to Mo'unga, who scored the try and converted from the sideline to give his side some breathing room before David Havili crossed with less than five minutes remaining.

They kept the Chiefs tryless in a match which looked set to be decided by a kicking battle between Damian McKenzie for the Chiefs and the Blues' playmaker Otere Black.

But two well-taken tries proved pivotal, and the Blues eased to the top of the Super Rugby Aotearoa ladder with their first win over the Chiefs in Hamilton since 2011.

The Chiefs drew first blood with a McKenzie penalty after 12 minutes, only for the Blues to hit back two minutes later when No.8 Hoskins Sotutu powered over from close range after a solid Blues lineout.

Blues coach Leon MacDonald said selecting his side for the opening game of Super Rugby Aotearoa against the Hurricanes was the hardest selection decision he had made in his time with the Blues.

Otere Black retains the first five-eigth spot after impressing MacDonald earlier in the season.

"His form was outstanding pre-lockdown and he's come back out of lockdown in even better nick and he's trained really well," MacDonald said.