Highlanders make a BIG statement

With the Highlanders coming into form late in the season there is now a New Zealand log-jam at the head of the table with the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders separated only by points differential.

The Crusaders barely hung on to first place in the global standings - with the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders on 37 points in the hotly contested New Zealand conference.

It is not so much the five tries to two margin, but more the manner in which they played and the intensity of their own game.

The win - in what was, without doubt, the best game of the season so far - completed a remarkable double for the Highlanders, who last week beat the Chiefs who had been top of the table for most of the season.

The Crusaders on Friday started like a house on fire, completely dominating all aspects of the game in the first quarter - twice going over the line, only to be denied by the television match official.

However, not only did the Highlanders work their way back into the game, but they did so in emphatic fashion - scoring three first-half tries through some sublime handling and creative skills.

And then, after the break, they took a firm choke-hold on the game and squeezed the life out of the Crusaders - only a late Israel Dagg try giving the Crusaders' score some respectability.

Unheralded Matt Faddes upstaged his illustrious teammate Waisake Naholo.

Faddes and All Blacks wing Naholo both scored two tries in the relentless running spectacle and it was outside centre Faddes, a former Sevens star and one of the fastest players in New Zealand, who set the pace.

His ability to slice through the Crusaders' midfield produced his first try and set up Naholo's second, and Faddes then broke the game open when he scored again with a 50-metre solo effort soon after half-time.

The Highlanders spent most of the first quarter scrambling in defence as the Crusaders effectively used the inside pass to have tight forwards Owen Franks, Wyatt Crockett and Luke Romano lead a procession through the inside channels.

But they were denied two tries by the television match official when Kieran Read and Romano attacked the line, and Highlanders captain Ben Smith sensed the momentum switch once they had weathered that opening storm.

"They were probably a bit unlucky not to score a couple of tries, but I'm really proud of the way we reacted to that and managed to get back into the game," Smith said.

"We knew we had to keep attacking. They're a quality team and we had to get points on the board and on the back end of that we had to do a lot of defending and I think if paid off quite nicely."

The Crusaders had to rely on penalties to take a 9-3 lead before the Highlanders, surviving on scraps of possession, burst into life with three tries in the second quarter.

A well-weighted Lima Sopoaga cross kick put Naholo over in the corner for the first try and they then twice used the wrap-around move from a line-out for Faddes to score his first and send Naholo in for his second.

Faddes extended the Highlanders' lead to 27-12 early in the second half when he stepped inside Matt Todd on the halfway line and raced 50 metres unopposed to touchdown.

The frenetic final 30 minutes were filled with outrageous off-loads, power running and brutal tackles.

The Crusaders eventually found their way over the line with a try to Jordan Taufua only for the Highlanders to reply with a try to Liam Squire before Israel Dagg finished off the scoring with the Crusaders second try on full-time.

Man of the match: Israel Dagg was the spark in everything that was good about the Crusaders, Kieran read worked his socks off, Richie Mo'unga had some moments of real magic, while Jordan Taufua was probably the Crusaders' most productive player. You can look at almost every player in the Highlanders team, including those coming off the bench. The Smiths, Ben and Aaron, produced their usual world class performances, Waisake Naholo and Matt Faddes produces crucial try-scoring plays - particularly Faddes, who was pretty close to getting the award. Lima Sopoaga was not perfect, but still influential. Elliot Dixon led the way in a mammoth defensive effort by the entire pack. However, our award goes to Highlanders No.8 Luke Whitelock, who showed his former Crusaders teammates what value he can provide - both in terms of defence and support play.

The scorers:

For the Highlanders:

Tries: Naholo 2, Faddes 2, Squire

Cons: Sopoaga 2

Pen: Sopoaga

For the Crusaders:

Tries: Taufua, Dagg

Cons: Mo'unga

Pens: Mo'unga 4

Yellow card: Joe Wheeler (Highlanders, 55 - foul play, late shoulder charge)

Teams:

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Matt Faddes, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Dan Pryor, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown

Replacements: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Siosiua Halanukonuka, 19 Tom Franklin, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Teihorangi Walden.

Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Kieron Fonotia, 12 David Havili, 11 Jone Macilai, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Replacements: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Mike Alaalatoa, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Tim Boys, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Ryan Crotty, 23 Marty McKenzie.

Referee: Chris Pollock

Assistant referees: Jamie Nutbrown, Kane McBride

TMO: Aaron Paterson