80	That's that folks, the siren goes and the ball is knocked on and that concludes a fine attacking game. It took the Blues a while to break down the Highlanders but when they did it was pretty easy going. A lapse in concentration cost them a few tries against but then they turned it on again and eased to victory. So four more games to come and we will cover them all for you.
78	TRY BLUES - SMITH 38-15. Game, set and match. It looked like David Smith was offside as he picked that ball from the back of the ruck but he was left to race away from eighty metres to score an easy try. CONVERSION BLUES - ATIGA 40-15.
77	Highlanders looking to finish on a high here, no pun intended. Cowan is buzzing around, still, and sending various players crashing forward before finding Clint Newland on the wide outside for a rumble.
76	A break out here from Vainikola as he wins a turn over, racing away up the line and chips ahead. It is hacked on but the ball spins away from him and Nacewa can save the day.
74	Trouble here, the Highlanders turn it over and Moa sends Wulf towards the line. He is hauled down a yard short and Chris King is guilty of killing that and off he goes to the sin-bin. YELLOW CARD HIGHLANDERS - KING.
73	The Highlanders are running everything now as they know they need to score three times in the last seven minutes. But they are camped in their own 22 at the moment as the Blues hold firm in defence.
72	A messy line-out but it comes back to Cowan and it's another penalty against the Blues, so into the corner we go again. Better line-out but the resulting play is poor and Flavell is able to reef it free and Moa kicks it long and into touch.
70	Stolen at the line-out and here come the home side as they take play to within ten metres of the Blues line. They have a full arm penalty now as the Blues kill the ball on purpose and into the corner it goes.
68	Still the Highlanders play ball and to good effect as they win a free-kick and a good platform to build from. They go blind from the scrum but run out of space as Leota is pushed into touch.
66	Back to the action and Cowan is tearing after his long kick but Smith wins the race and has time to compose himself and find touch towards the ten metre line.
65	One surprise here is that Mealamu has had a very quiet game, and with All Black selection around the corner he will be slightly concerned with that, especially given the way Andrew Hore is playing at the moment.
64	Flowing play from both sides now and Thomson is right in the middle of it once more as he launches a deep attack but Horton spills it and the Blues will take the scrum.
62	CONVERSION BLUES - EVANS 33-15. Over go the extras and all of a sudden the Blues are cruising again. That was the bonus-point try as well.
61	TRY BLUES - TUITAVAKE 31-15. That surely wraps this up and puts an end to the Highlanders rearguard effort. Set move from the scrum as Anthony Tuitavake comes back on the cut and then he slips on his dancing shoes and dazzles his way over for a lovely meat pie. He will be out on the dance floor tonight showing those moves.
59	The Blues surge forward here and Flavell wriggles free and looks to have scored, but Chris Pollock is right on the spot and calls it held up so we will scrum five out.
56	A penalty from the re-start as the Highlanders get a little too excited with things. Evans turns the points down and sends it into the corner and the drive is on.
54	TRY HIGHLANDERS - THOMSON 26-15. That is the try of the season folks, no questions asked. Newby sparked it with a step and burst of pace through the middle before finding Leota. He takes it over half way and looks inside to Bancroft. He takes it to the 22 and Cowan pops up in support. He looks around and sees big Adam Thomson wide out so floats the kick across, Thomson takes on the bounce and goes over. That's how it happened but words can't do it justice, find a tv and watch that one again and again.
53	Cowan bosses his forwards well before chipping ahaead. Crunching tackle that from Jimmy Cowan as Wulf is taken down hard. Moa clears and Paul Williams covers and sets off.
52	CONVERSION HIGHLANDERS - DELANY 26-10. Marvellous effort that from out wide as it sails right over the black dot.
51	TRY HIGHLANDERS - BANCROFT 21-8. No sooner do I say that than their efforts are rewarded. A quick free-kick from Cowan sets Leota free and he finds Bancroft on the wide outside to go over in the corner. Is there a comeback on the cards here?
50	Hats off to the Highlanders, who are well beaten here, but still chancing their arm and looking to play rugby.
49	Ah what a catch. What a catch. Evans chips ahead and Delany comes flying across to take that at full stretch and that's out...out of play that is. Delany skids into touch and the Blues are off and running again.
48	The Highlanders look to work their way out of trouble but Smith is bringing it back with intent and he looks to find Evans. Thomson is lurking and almost snaffles an intercept only to tip it forward.
46	Highlanders clear but only as far as Evans who hoists it up. Cowan is back but he can't take and Moa snaps it up before sending Boric and Flavell on big charges but Braid can't hold as he looks to dart through and it will be another scrum.
45	Free-kick against Thomson as Nacewa goes quickly and then Moa takes it on but as he is tackled he looks for a pass that was never on and it goes forward five out from the Highlanders line.
44	Nick Williams sets the platform for Evans to clear towards half-way with a belter of a kick. Boric goes up and wins the line-out against the throw and that allows Nacewa to kick deep and Williams has no option but to find touch.
43	Cowan snipes down the blind from the scrum but Evans is equal to the challenge. Delany has it but he is losing ground and coughs up a free-kick for holding on. Stout defence from the Blues as they show some of their early season form here, but will it be too little too late after four straight defeats.
42	Delany is all action here as he looks to get his side back into this one. Now Thomson barges forward a few yards and there is a Blues knock on in the tackle so the pressure keeps mounting.
41	Here we go again folks as Delany gets the action going and he has it back after some good work from his forwards.
40	The siren goes as Nacewa hangs it high for one last roll of the dice this half. Cowan returns the favour before Nacewa thumps it off the pitch and the Blues go into the sheds with the game all but in the bag. We will be back shortly to see if they can get the fourth try they so desperatly need.
38	This time the Blues secure the re-start and Moa dinks it over the top for Smith to chase but he can't take and it will be a scrum to the home side, who are looking shell-shocked here.
36	TRY BLUES - WULF 26-3. This one is over as a contest now and finally somebody else scores! Wulf comes late on the blind from the scrum and Moa finds him to score in the corner. A lovely move and it looks like the Blues will get their bonus-point win to maintain their slim semi-final hopes.
35	The re-start trend continues as once again the Highlanders pluck their own kick out of the air, but it doesn't last for long as it is pinched and cleared by the Blues and all of a sudden we have a five metre scrum on the Highlanders line!
33	CONVERSION BLUES - EVANS 21-3. A fine effort from out wide and Nick Evans is winning 21-3 here, a fine display from the man who is heading to England at the end of this season.
32	TRY BLUES - EVANS 19-0. No time for that now though as this game opens right up. The Blues have it and head for their host's 22 through a series of powerful drives. Evans is Jonny on the spot to finish a good move and he just keeps on scoring!
31	Vainikolo is back to cover and he in turn gets a peach of a kick away but really the Highlanders will be frustrated from that last attack as they had the Blues on the ropes.
29	A huge scrum from the Highlanders as the ball is fired out to Leota who crashes into Stanley. Now Thomson gets the fend going as he wheels his way towards the line but he is guilty of holding on. Nacewa takes the tap quickly and fires it off down field.
28	The pressure builds here as Cowan snipes towards the line, caught a metre out but his support arrives in time. Now the charge is on as the big forwards batter away but the Blues are rising to the challenge, although Flavell gets a little to excited and it's a free-kick.
27	The Highlanders have it back from the kick-off and look to strike back straight away. Newby stoops low to take a weak pass and still makes a good gain as he takes play to the 22.
25	TRY BLUES - EVANS 14-3. Short line-out from the Blues as big Nick Williams comes on the short ball to crash into the 22. Out to Evans who stabs it ahead for himself to chase and he scorches through to claim and dot it down in the corner. Fine effort from the departing All Black.
24	This time the Blues claim their re-start and Nacewa wastes it with a poor kick, but he is saved by an equally poor effort from Vainikolo that drifts straight out.
23	PENALTY HIGHLANDERS - DELANY 9-3. No mistake this time as Delany finds his range and trims the lead back to six points.
22	Evans does well under pressure but he only finds Vainikolo who is cancelled by Stanley with a monster tackle but the ref has the Blues for offside on the chase.
21	Lovely work at the re-start as Thomson claims Delany's kick and the Highlanders flood forward. Cowan uses his heavy troops before Delany jinks through and sets off for the line, he finds Leota but Flavell saves the day with a desperate tackle that forces a knock-on.
19	PENALTY BLUES - EVANS 9-0. A freak offside there and its nine nil all of a sudden. Greetings to those who have just joined us, be it from a late night out or just a lazy morning in bed. We are watching a fine attacking effort from the Blues, but as of yet they have failed to unlock the Highlanders defence. Still plenty of time to go though!
18	It's Williams on Williams here as Nick takes Paul but only succeeds in giving away a free-kick which Jimmy Cowan fluffs and kicks away to David Smith.
17	Delany pushes his kick wide and it stays at six to nothing Blues over the Highlanders. Evans punts it long and leads the chase from the drop-out.
15	Again Delany re-starts and this time Nick Williams takes and Nacewa kicks, but it is a poor effort and back come the hosts as they look to register some points. They will have a chance as Nick Williams is fingered for coming in at the side.
14	PENALTY BLUES - EVANS 6-0. As much as they need four tries the Blues know first and foremost they need to win this game and so Evans pops over another three points.
13	Nweby does well at the base of the scrum and Cowan completes the clearance with a kick towards the 22. It's all out rugby here from the Blues as they go hunting those four tries. Plenty of running now after some early kicking, and we have a high shot on Nacewa so it's a penalty.
11	So close for the Blues. Stanley and Braid combine superbly to slice through before Nick Williams takes it over the 22, he looks for Boric and finds him but the big second row throws a speculator and it is intercepted a metre from the Highlanders line. And now a free-kick against the Blues.
10	Wide the Blues go again as Evans comes into the line but he is cleaned up by a thundering tackle from big Paul Williams. The turn-over is forced and away come the Highlanders but they spill it forward trying to force the issue.
9	Plenty of endevour here from the Blues but their passing is not quite on the money yet but they have a free-kick as Williams fails to roll away having made the tackle on Smith. Scrum is called for.
8	Thomson is the target and he secures the ball before Delany finds touch but the pressure is still right on the hosts here.
7	A stolen line out goes wide to Wulf who dazzles his way through two tackles before being taken down. Quick ball to Evans who finds Anthony Tuitavake and over he goes, or does he. We go upstairs and the TMO spots a stray boot in touch - no try.
6	Nacewa goes to the boot with a delicate grubber after several tight phases. Line-out to the Highlanders five out from their own line, good pressure from the Blues as they force the home side deep into their own half.