Highlanders 18 v Warratahs 17

Good game that one played at a pace really testing fitness levels.

3 from 3 now for the Highlanders and Haskell being used as an impact player in his new team. Great unique experience for him down under.

How did Haskell look today? I recorded it but won't get a chance to watch for a few days?

He was ok. One knock on but put his hits in and looked for the offload well.

As a landers fan I'm delighted but lawrence was very poor I thought. I seriously have to question the consistency of application of laws between the hemispeheres as well. Kade poki put in a hit today that was a yellow and a penalty in the north and wasn't even pinged in Dunedin.

The IRB needs to get a grip on this differentiation between hemispheres. Grat to see otago flying though. They need to be more clinical though. That game should have been out of sight. Aaron smith looks the real deal at 9

GRRR.

The one thing thas good about the Saders and Blues being towards the bottom is the number of youngsters and non world cup players putting their hand up from the other 3 sides.

The AB stars havn't featured a great deal in the first three rounds as the young blood comes through.

Hansen must be pleased with that side of things as the AB's will take care of themselves when the pen starts going onto paper for the Irish tour.

For the Sader's to be what is now our worst performing team things have got to be good somewhere- the Canes new look being the biggest plus through all this.

More on above:

http://www.allblacks.com/news/18787/Young-kiwi-prodigies-putting-pressure-on-World-Cup-All-Blacks

Plus on the same site looks like Kaino wont be playing the Irish or hardly anyone this year...out for 6 months requiring shoulder injury surgery...