Home game in Suva keeps Landers on run

THE Highlanders have a busy three weeks in front of them with two home games either side of a trip to Christchurch.

But one of those home games is set to be played in Suva this week, when the side takes the game against the Chiefs to Fiji.

The side has eight home games every season and has an agreement with Dunedin Venues Management Ltd for seven games to be played under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The eighth home game can be played in another location and it heads to Fiji this week, where the match will be played at Suva’s ANZ stadium.

The Highlanders will travel to Fiji on Thursday and have a light training run on the Friday before the game on Saturday night.

There have been various times suggested for the kickoff but the match will start at 7.35pm. There is no time difference between New Zealand and Fiji.

The Highlanders will return from Fiji on Sunday and will not get back to Dunedin until late that night.

From there, the side will have to quickly prepare for the match against the Crusaders, which will be played on the following Friday in Christchurch.

Those two matches will be critical for the Highlanders’ playoff chances.

The side plays its final regularseason game against the Rebels at Forsyth Barr Stadium and it will not be a walk in the park, as the Rebels may have plenty to play for.

The Highlanders sit fifth on the table at the moment and though it is not realistic that the side can still finish top of the table, it will still want to finish in the top four and claim a home playoff game.

The Highlanders are on 40 points, five points away from the Hurricanes, who sit fourth. The Chiefs sit sixth, on 37 points.

To some degree, the Highlanders are relying on other sides to trip up. All they can do is go out and win games and then hope other results fall their way.

The match in Suva will be the third Super Rugby game played in Fiji, and the Chiefs have played in all of them.

The Chiefs have played the Crusaders in Suva in the past couple of years for a win and a loss.

They will travel to Suva tomorrow but will be without key lock Brodie Retallick, who is recovering from a pectoral injury. Hooker Nathan Harris will not play in Suva because he has the week off after the birth of his first child.

Meanwhile, the Highlanders were not too disappointed with the crowd that turned up in Invercargill on Friday night for the match between them and the French Barbarians.

The Highlanders had hoped for 4000 but 3660 attended.

Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said with a lot on in the region over the weekend, the turnout was not too bad.

The aim was for the Highlanders to play a Super Rugby game in Invercargill next year.

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