The Highlanders surged to a dominant 0-32 halftime lead before Moana Pasifika mounted a late 19-7 run in a bizarre Super Rugby clash at North Harbour Stadium, where a power outage disrupted play and even forced the match to be livestreamed via a sideline phone after the broadcast went down.
The visitors controlled the first half as Moana struggled, conceding 13 penalties and missing tackles, before showing some fight after the break, sparked by debutant prop Paula Latu, though the deficit proved too large.
Winger Caleb Tangitau starred with two tries and continued his standout season, while 22-year-old Nic Shearer impressed on debut with a composed performance and a try, highlighting the Highlanders’ growing depth despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the match.
