February 22, 2025 • 7 mins
The Highlanders have dug deep to secure a famous 29-21 win over reigning Super Rugby champions the Blues in Dunedin.
Down to 13 players following injuries in the front row and a red card for prop Daniel Lienert-Brown - the team managed to turn their luck around.
Highlanders fullback Finn Hurley joined Piney to discuss.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks b Fallback.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Finn Hurley has inspired the Highlanders to come from behind
twenty nine twenty one Super Rugby Pacific win over the
Blues in Dunedin. The Blues led fourteen to three late
in the first half before a brace of tries from
Finn Hurley saw the Highlanders storm home for their first
one of the season. Will there, Christy looking for it early,
He's got the mouse, he goes o the past, will life.
(00:36):
It's a great try. Individual brilliance certainly was. Finn Hurley
is with us out of dneed in the day after
the game. Finn, thanks for taking the time for a chat.
Two tries for you, three off loads, one hundred and
sixty two meters run with ball in hand. Not a
bad night's work for you, mate.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, pretty surreal moment out there and just it couldn't
have been any better being able to do it at
home in front of hate for passionate fans.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
How significant a win is this for the Highlanders?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah? I think it gives the boys a lot of
belief and also just their supporters a lot of beliefs.
So especially after last week having a tight loss and
then being able to come out and put a performance
like that out there. I think, yeah, it gives us
a lot of beliefs going going forward.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
It was a game of a lot of ebbs and flows.
What were the conversations you guys were having out there
when you were fourteen to three down.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I was just yeah, sticking to our game, getting the
ball on the right part of the field, and then
just just holding onto the ball and getting points when
we entered their twenty two, and then yeah, just keeping
on stacking moments.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
So talk us through your first try the blues kicker downfield.
You gather it just outside your twenty two, so pick
it up for us from there.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
You just sort of how do we look? And it
was there was a week of a space behind the
initial defense line, so chuck their own and then got
a I wasn't actually the bounce I was looking for,
but they actually turned out better than it could have
ever expected, So it worked out perfectly.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, presume you're expecting it to bounce back towards you
rather than continue to roll forward. But you're kind of
I guess steam passed where I think it was Finn
like Christian managed to gather. So from there you're always
confident you had the legs to get to the line.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, I heard someone cooling on the inside, but never
really much.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
That's optimistic from that's optimistic from whoever.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That was.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well And the second of the second try in the
second half, at the end of a flowing, counter attacking move,
do your instincts just kind of get you in the
right place to receive that final past?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, I just sort of the boys, but he made
a big break and I just sort of had to
put the foot down to get the spot to be
an option, I suppose, which yeah, led to that, I feel.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
So then you go down to fourteen men on about
the hour mark, you're only your head by two points.
What sort of conversations are happening at that point?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, it was more of the same, just getting playing
in the right part of the field and holding onto
the ball, and then they're just taking points whenever we
could get a penalty because we ended up having thirteen
because of the Golden Oldest scrum. That's that's right, Yeah,
which we had a scrum and I was looking outside. Man,
we'd sent two backs into the scrum, and I only
(03:32):
had about three backs out with us. What are we
doing here? Boys? It was yeah? Good?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Oh man, what a what a moment, you know, to
win under that sort of pressure. I just want to
ask you about a couple of players in your team.
Timothy Wi what a monumental game from him. How big
an influence is he on your side?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah? Man, just leads by example, goes out there, he
gets turnovers like he's a floord and just keeps going.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I can't can't ask too much more out of that
met Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
I thought he was an outside back. It turns out
he'sid midfielder.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Yeah, he's made a week transformation there and he's thriving.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
And the other guy I want to ask you about
actually is Jamie Joseph. Yeah, your head coach. He was
in and around the team last year. Obviously is in
a director of rugby role. I think he prefers to
get his hands dirty in a coaching role. What has
he brought to the Highlanders this season.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, he's bought. He's built a really good culture within
the side and just yeah, it all started throughout pre
season and he's pretty much laid down how he wants
to play. And then it's just flowed through. So no,
it's I think we're going in the right direction anyway.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Now, it certainly looks like it's very poignant moment. Pregame
as well with a tribute to your former teammate Connor
garden Baship. How special a moment was that?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, it was pretty special. Awesome initiative from the Highlanders
and who ever made that happen, And yeah, awesome to
be able to pay her respects in that way to yeah, Connor.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
How good was the crowd last night?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
No, it was outstanding. In the warm up there was
a like band playing and he couldn't hear anything, and
I was thinking, Jesus, this bit of Bloody caught down
or even otherwise, I'm gonna kind of better Bloody talked anyone?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
And what was it like? It was? It was? It
difficult to hear because I'm obviously the roof there makes
it even you know, even more sort of intil you know,
were there times when you're wor struggling to hear your teammates.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Definitely, like during like during play and stuff. It's hard
to communicate with anyone really, but once you come in
and get tight, you can get a few messages across
to each other.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
All right, well it's it's a it's a terrific result.
I guess you do have to keep your feet on
the ground a little bit, though, don't you. It's only
one game and I'm sure you'll get that message a
loud and clear from Jamie Joseph as you prepare for
one to pacifica next weekend. But you feel like this
is a team that will stay pretty grounded even though
if you've achieved something pretty special here.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah, definitely, I'd say, yeah, we'll be back to the
drawing board tomorrow and yeah there was a bit more
hard work put in before for that next game.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Or how was the octagon last night? Did you venture out?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
You went for a wee look, nothing too crazy, pulled
up million marks this morning, so it's the main thing.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I love it. Good stuff, and hey, well, congratulations on
a terrific performance from you and from the team last night.
I think everybody apart from Blue supporters loved it very much,
so congratulations mate, and thanks for taking the time for
a chat.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
No problem, thank you much.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Thanks mate. Fin Hurley there out of the Highlanders, scorer
of two tries last night, big part of the Highlanders performance,
but it was built on more than just what Finn
Hurley did. I just really enjoyed watching it. I just
thought it was terrific. I mean, we all want every
New Zealand team to be strong, right and in recent
years the Highlanders have already struggled. You know that that's not
(07:06):
going to come as a shock to you. But when
the Blues, the defending champions, hit town last night and
we're ahead fourteen to three in the first half, you think, Okay,
I've seen this movie before. I know how this one's
gonna go. I can see the script. Yeah, the Highlanders
all be plucky and they'll put up, you know, some resistance,
but at the end of the day, the Blues are
(07:26):
going to win the game, well, not a bit of it.
Highland is twenty nine Blues twenty one.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk said Be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks b Fallback.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Finn Hurley has inspired the Highlanders to come from behind
twenty nine twenty one Super Rugby Pacific win over the
Blues in Dunedin. The Blues led fourteen to three late
in the first half before a brace of tries from
Finn Hurley saw the Highlanders storm home for their first
one of the season. Will there, Christy looking for it early,
He's got the mouse, he goes o the past, will life.
(00:36):
It's a great try. Individual brilliance certainly was. Finn Hurley
is with us out of dneed in the day after
the game. Finn, thanks for taking the time for a chat.
Two tries for you, three off loads, one hundred and
sixty two meters run with ball in hand. Not a
bad night's work for you, mate.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, pretty surreal moment out there and just it couldn't
have been any better being able to do it at
home in front of hate for passionate fans.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
How significant a win is this for the Highlanders?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah? I think it gives the boys a lot of
belief and also just their supporters a lot of beliefs.
So especially after last week having a tight loss and
then being able to come out and put a performance
like that out there. I think, yeah, it gives us
a lot of beliefs going going forward.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
It was a game of a lot of ebbs and flows.
What were the conversations you guys were having out there
when you were fourteen to three down.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I was just yeah, sticking to our game, getting the
ball on the right part of the field, and then
just just holding onto the ball and getting points when
we entered their twenty two, and then yeah, just keeping
on stacking moments.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
So talk us through your first try the blues kicker downfield.
You gather it just outside your twenty two, so pick
it up for us from there.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
You just sort of how do we look? And it
was there was a week of a space behind the
initial defense line, so chuck their own and then got
a I wasn't actually the bounce I was looking for,
but they actually turned out better than it could have
ever expected, So it worked out perfectly.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, presume you're expecting it to bounce back towards you
rather than continue to roll forward. But you're kind of
I guess steam passed where I think it was Finn
like Christian managed to gather. So from there you're always
confident you had the legs to get to the line.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, I heard someone cooling on the inside, but never
really much.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
That's optimistic from that's optimistic from whoever.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That was.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well And the second of the second try in the
second half, at the end of a flowing, counter attacking move,
do your instincts just kind of get you in the
right place to receive that final past?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, I just sort of the boys, but he made
a big break and I just sort of had to
put the foot down to get the spot to be
an option, I suppose, which yeah, led to that, I feel.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
So then you go down to fourteen men on about
the hour mark, you're only your head by two points.
What sort of conversations are happening at that point?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, it was more of the same, just getting playing
in the right part of the field and holding onto
the ball, and then they're just taking points whenever we
could get a penalty because we ended up having thirteen
because of the Golden Oldest scrum. That's that's right, Yeah,
which we had a scrum and I was looking outside. Man,
we'd sent two backs into the scrum, and I only
(03:32):
had about three backs out with us. What are we
doing here? Boys? It was yeah? Good?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Oh man, what a what a moment, you know, to
win under that sort of pressure. I just want to
ask you about a couple of players in your team.
Timothy Wi what a monumental game from him. How big
an influence is he on your side?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah? Man, just leads by example, goes out there, he
gets turnovers like he's a floord and just keeps going.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I can't can't ask too much more out of that
met Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
I thought he was an outside back. It turns out
he'sid midfielder.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Yeah, he's made a week transformation there and he's thriving.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
And the other guy I want to ask you about
actually is Jamie Joseph. Yeah, your head coach. He was
in and around the team last year. Obviously is in
a director of rugby role. I think he prefers to
get his hands dirty in a coaching role. What has
he brought to the Highlanders this season.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, he's bought. He's built a really good culture within
the side and just yeah, it all started throughout pre
season and he's pretty much laid down how he wants
to play. And then it's just flowed through. So no,
it's I think we're going in the right direction anyway.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Now, it certainly looks like it's very poignant moment. Pregame
as well with a tribute to your former teammate Connor
garden Baship. How special a moment was that?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, it was pretty special. Awesome initiative from the Highlanders
and who ever made that happen, And yeah, awesome to
be able to pay her respects in that way to yeah, Connor.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
How good was the crowd last night?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
No, it was outstanding. In the warm up there was
a like band playing and he couldn't hear anything, and
I was thinking, Jesus, this bit of Bloody caught down
or even otherwise, I'm gonna kind of better Bloody talked anyone?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
And what was it like? It was? It was? It
difficult to hear because I'm obviously the roof there makes
it even you know, even more sort of intil you know,
were there times when you're wor struggling to hear your teammates.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Definitely, like during like during play and stuff. It's hard
to communicate with anyone really, but once you come in
and get tight, you can get a few messages across
to each other.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
All right, well it's it's a it's a terrific result.
I guess you do have to keep your feet on
the ground a little bit, though, don't you. It's only
one game and I'm sure you'll get that message a
loud and clear from Jamie Joseph as you prepare for
one to pacifica next weekend. But you feel like this
is a team that will stay pretty grounded even though
if you've achieved something pretty special here.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah, definitely, I'd say, yeah, we'll be back to the
drawing board tomorrow and yeah there was a bit more
hard work put in before for that next game.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Or how was the octagon last night? Did you venture out?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
You went for a wee look, nothing too crazy, pulled
up million marks this morning, so it's the main thing.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I love it. Good stuff, and hey, well, congratulations on
a terrific performance from you and from the team last night.
I think everybody apart from Blue supporters loved it very much,
so congratulations mate, and thanks for taking the time for
a chat.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
No problem, thank you much.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Thanks mate. Fin Hurley there out of the Highlanders, scorer
of two tries last night, big part of the Highlanders performance,
but it was built on more than just what Finn
Hurley did. I just really enjoyed watching it. I just
thought it was terrific. I mean, we all want every
New Zealand team to be strong, right and in recent
years the Highlanders have already struggled. You know that that's not
(07:06):
going to come as a shock to you. But when
the Blues, the defending champions, hit town last night and
we're ahead fourteen to three in the first half, you think, Okay,
I've seen this movie before. I know how this one's
gonna go. I can see the script. Yeah, the Highlanders
all be plucky and they'll put up, you know, some resistance,
but at the end of the day, the Blues are
(07:26):
going to win the game, well, not a bit of it.
Highland is twenty nine Blues twenty one.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk said Be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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