Anton Segner stars as Blues survive mad finish to beat Highlanders at Eden Park
Friday, 17 April 2026
At Eden Park, Auckland: Blues 47 (Hoskins Sotutu 10’, Anton Segner 14’, 48’, Sam Darry 27’, Bradley Slater 45’, Cole Forbes 61’, Ben Ake 71’ tries; Beauden Barrett 6 con) Highlanders 40 (Adam Lennox 3’, 57’, Tanielu Tele’a 33’, 76’, Xavier Tito-Harris 67’, Soane Vikena 78’ tries; Cam Millar 5 con). HT: 19-14. Yellow card: Zarn Sullivan, AJ Lam (Blues).
The Blues muscled past the Highlanders despite a mad finish on Friday night to keep up with the Hurricanes among the Super Rugby Pacific pace-setters.
It was a clinical exhibition of power from Vern Cotter’s men with an outstanding display from German-born loose forward Anton Segner. He scored twice and was everywhere in his 62 minutes of the Blues’ 47-40 success at Eden Park.
But Jamie Joseph’s Highlanders roared back in the final minutes to deny the Blues a bonus-point win and make the scattered Auckland crowd anxious in the dying stages.
The Blues, a man light after AJ Lam’s yellow card, were on the ropes and their defence crumbled.
Tanielu Tele’a and Soane Vikena’s tries brought the Highlanders to within seven and believing they could force golden-point extra-time. The Blues were 21 points clear with four minutes left.
The Highlanders couldn’t capitalise and spilled their last chance, leaving them in danger of falling further behind the top six after remaining in seventh, four points outside the playoffs, with a 3-6 record. Their consolation was a losing a bonus point.
The Blues rose to second with a 6-3 record, one point behind the flying Hurricanes having played two matches more. They lost last weekend to the leaders, who play the Chiefs in another table-topping clash in Hamilton on Saturday night.
The Highlanders had lost star winger Caleb Tangiatu to a head injury before half-time when he was clobbered by Zarn Sullivan’s shoulder.
The Blues fullback was sinbinned, avoiding worse punishment only because Tangiatu was falling before the heavy contact that left him prone on the turf.
He departed, sat up, on a medical cart after flicking a pass for Tele’a to score, bringing Joseph’s men back into game in the first half.
It was a blow for the visitors because Tangitau, who could become an All Black under Dave Rennie, was in excellent form again with terrific speed and carries to trouble the Blues.
Another coincided with Sullivan’s return. The Highlanders were struggling to repel the inevitable onslaught coming their way and with the Blues restored to 15 men, another maul led to hooker Bradley Slater’s score.
The Blues went bang, bang, with Segner’s second establishing a strong lead. Joseph would have been despairing at his side’s defence as the blindside flanker cut through too easily.
They were paying for their mistakes and poor discipline. The Blues’ pack is difficult to contain when it hums and rumbles, albeit their lineout and scrum were less functional.
The tireless Segner got a standing ovation when walking off and is benefiting from an extended and deserved run in their posse of loose forwards.
Another clinical lineout drive gave them the platform for Cole Forbes’ classy finish to all but seal the win after some sharp work from composed veteran No 10 Beauden Barrett.
Barrett’s loose pass would gift Xavier Tito-Harris, on his Highlanders debut, a breakaway try. Ben Ake, also on debut, scored for the hosts before the frenetic finale as the visitors mounted an improbable fightback. Finn Hurley and the returning Folau Fakatava made telling impacts off the bench.
Captain Patrick Tuipulotu and loose forwards Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu all made solid returns from injury for the Blues. Still, Segner was their standout forward again with lineout steals, dominant tackles and drives to push them forward.
The Highlanders were dangerous out wide with Jona Nareki and Tangitau, midfielder Timoci Tavatavanawai was always a threat from turnovers and brilliant young halfback Adam Lennox twice cut the Blues open for superb tries.
The Blues weren’t all grunt. Sullivan was a menace with his running game. Lam and Cody Vai continue to shine among their outside backs, dashing through the Highlanders’ defence.
The Blues made a messy start and Lennox pounced for an opportunistic halfback’s try from a tangled lineout. He impressively left Barrett grasping dust with a sensational surge.
Kicks were prominent from the start, something the Highlanders use more than most, while the Blues’ playbook of smashing through carries remains a brutal comfort they can utilise.
From their early wobbles, the hosts soon assumed control with three forwards, Sotutu, Segner and lock Sam Darry, all nudging over from close range.
However, Sullivan’s yellow card stifled their momentum. To maintain their half-time lead, they needed to scramble on their line to keep the Highlanders out.
The Blues were desperate again in the final seconds and did just enough to hang on for an important victory.
What’s next
It’s Super Round in Christchurch’s new stadium next weekend. The Blues face the Reds on Saturday night and the Highlanders play Moana Pasifika on Sunday afternoon.