Super Rugby

They have been overrun by the previously winless Bulls in Pretoria, surrendering a 10-5 halftime lead to lose 38-13.

"We'll learn some lessons from our second half," Highlanders co-captain Aaron Smith told South African broadcaster SuperSport.

"Our first half we felt like we controlled the game. We were able to build pressure, keep that territory battle, we were winning that, but we needed to capitalise on more points for the amount of time we spent in their half and 22."

The home side took the lead in the second minute of the game when Ben Lam scored the opening try, but their advantage was temporarily wiped out when Akira Ioane scored a try converted by Otere Black four minutes before half-time.

However a late penalty gave the Hurricanes a 8-7 lead at half-time.

In the second half ill-discipline cost the Hurricanes as they were reduced to 14 men just after half-time when Tyrell Lomax was red carded for a dangerous tackle.

The one-match All Black missed out on a starting spot in the team's first five matches of 2020 thanks to the impressive form of 21-year-old Hoskins Sotutu.

But with Sotutu rested after the Blues back-to-back wins in South Africa, Ioane has been given the number eight jersey for Saturday night's clash with the Hurricanes in Wellington.

The selection was one of several changes to a Blues side on a short week after only returning from their successful trip to South Africa on Tuesday.

Head coach Leon MacDonald said the decisions were based on a finding from last year.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 11th minute when prop Joe Moody scored under the posts off a short drive, with first five Richie Mo'unga converting.

The Reds struck straight back when winger Chris Feauai-Sautia scored following a perfectly played set piece move off an attacking lineout just five out from the Crusaders' line.

Richie Mo'unga then kicked a penalty five minutes later to give the Crusaders a five point buffer at the 20 minute mark.

The Reds then removed the Crusaders lead completely when No. 8 Harry Wilson scored a try similar to that of Joe Moody.

Backing up their 23-21 win over the Bulls last weekend, the Auckland-based side scored a convincing 33-14 win over the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday morning (NZ time).

The Blues led 27-14 at halftime, thanks to a brace of tries from English centre-turned-winger Joe Marchant and another from flanker Dalton Papali'i.

The second half wasn't so free-flowing, with the visitors defence shining as the kept the Stormers scoreless and ended their unbeaten start to the season.

The previously winless Tahs scored five tries to two on Friday night at Parramatta's Bankwest Stadium to notch their first victory in six matches and also a first triumph in their past six clashes with the Lions.

The home team made their supporters sweat, however, missing six out of eight shots at goal.

But a 76th-minute try to replacement prop Tetera Faulkner sealed the win after skipper Rob Simmons had left the field with an ankle injury.

The Sunwolves chief executive Yuji Watase told reporters in Japan that the Crusaders' match won't be held in the country.

"We are trying to relocate the Brumbies' match on 8th March in Osaka and the Crusaders' match on March 14th in Tokyo to overseas," Watase said.

"In the beginning, we tried to hold these matches in Japan behind closed doors, but when we thought about what is the best solution, we came to the conclusion to hold these games abroad."

SANZAAR yesterday announced next Friday's match between the Sunwolves and Brumbies in Osaka has also been postponed.

SANZAAR announced this afternoon the March 6 match in Osaka has been cancelled due to multiple factors linked to Covid-19.

"The international cross-border nature of the Super Rugby tournament has led SANZAAR to review its playing schedule and to implement specific tournament protocols to minimise any risks of the ongoing effects of the corona [COVID-19] virus," SANZAAR said in a statement.

Selby-Rickit is poised to make his first Highlanders appearance off the bench alongside two other potential debutants, utility back Scott Gregory and tighthead prop Jeff Thwaites.

Selby-Rickit made his return to rugby for the Highlanders Bravehearts last weekend after serving a New Zealand Rugby ban following an assault conviction last year.

Coming into Saturday night's match, the Chiefs were unbeaten in the 2020 season, while the Brumbies were coming off a narrow 23-22 loss to the Highlanders at home the week before.

That last minute loss may have spurred the Brumbies on in Hamilton, as it was the visitors who came out firing from the first whistle.

Fullback Tom Banks was the first to score for the Brumbies off a set piece move inside the Chiefs 22.