Highlanders vs Waratahs takes: Super's most untouchable man, Suaalii responds

The Highlanders and Waratahs entered their round 13 contest on 20 competition points each, five points outside the playoff picture.

The difference between the two sides was that the hosts, the Highlanders, had played one more game and were therefore in a slightly less favourable position, with the playoffs just one month away. So, Jamie Joseph’s men ran out for their final home game of the season knowing that said season may well be on the line.

It was the Caleb Tangitau show early on, with the speedster returning from a two-match absence to inflict heavy damage on the Waratahs’ defence and inspire a 14-0 lead after just 11 minutes.

The visitors fought their way back into the match, with a 20-minute red card to Jona Nareki in the 57th minute turning the final quarter of the game into an arm-wrestle. Two tries were scored by the Waraths in those 20 minutes, reducing the Highlanders’ lead to just two points in the 78th minute.

But as Highlanders fans know, cometh the hour, cometh the Timoci Tavatavanawai. The big inside centre was on hand to win his second breakdown turnover of the game in the 79th minute and allow Cam Millar a shot at goal to wind down the clock. The first five added three points, and the Highlanders survived to win 31-26.

Here are some takeaways from the result.

22m Entries

Avg. Points Scored

3.1

9

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Avg. Points Scored

3.2

8

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Super Rugby’s most untouchable man

Caleb Tangitau is on a fast-tracked route to superstardom, with an All Blacks debut surely guaranteed to come in July.

The Highlanders’ first try of the day came from the 23-year-old shedding the tackle of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in centrefield and breaking the line before delivering the inside ball to fellow winger Jonah Lowe to score in the fifth minute.

The Higlanders’ second try came in the 10th minute, and saw Tangitau collect the ball from the base of a ruck, beat both Pete Samu and Charlie Gamble to break the line in close quarters, then escape the clutches of two more defenders to score himself.

Minutes later, Tangitau broke the line again and delivered an inside ball to Cam Millar, who was dragged out just shy of the line by a desperate Andrew Kellaway tackle.

Those were Tangitau’s first three touches of the game.

In the 30th minute, he picked up a loose ball and dropped it on his right foot to execute the 50/22, and just shy of halftime, his distribution almost inspired another try.

Tangitau’s 10 defenders beaten in the opening half had ex-Highlanders and All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson labelling him the “most dangerous man in Super Rugby.”

The second half started with the Highlanders wing slapping the ball back to steal possession, and his carry in the 48th minute beat two defenders before he offloaded in the tackle of a third. Far fewer opportunities in the second half meant he was unable to inspire any more carnage, something the Highlanders will surely look to amend ahead of next week’s trip to Hamilton.

Suaalii responds

The Joseph Suaalii position debate has been active from the moment he announced his switch to rugby union, and has once again reared its head in recent weeks.

Returning from a 10-week injury-enforced absence against the Western Force last week, the centre had just three carries for two metres and six tackles in an upset loss. His team made just one linebreak in the match.

In Dunedin, the Wallaby led his team in carries in the first half, showing elite footwork in close quarters and picking equally elite lines to run, putting the Highlanders’ defensive line under pressure.

That continued, although with less frequency, in the second period, with an early run making 20 metres before Suaalii delivered a clean offload, his second of the game. Two minutes later, he broke the line thanks to a deft pass from Lawson Creighton, and galloped just shy of the 22 before finding his outside man. The Waratahs scored on the next phase.

The 22-year-old almost had a try assist on a wide ball in the 68th minute, but Sid Harvey was dragged out. One minute later, Suaalii took matters into his own hands with dancing footwork and scored himself, only for that effort to also be brought back for a prior knock-on.

The Waratahs had a clear mission to get their star centre more involved in round 13, looking far more dangerous as a result and showcasing the impact he can have in the midfield.

Defence wins it

The Highlanders made more than twice as many tackles as the Waratahs, and missed five fewer of their attempts. That’s not a stat you see all too often, especially in such a consequential fixture.

TK Howden led the way for the hosts with 21 completed stops and just one miss, followed by Nikora Broughton (20) and Ethan de Groot (18). The latter looks to be in the form of his career this year, with his efforts at scrum time punishing props across Super Rugby, his defensive prowess coming to the fore, and his leadership coming through, having taken on co-captaincy responsibilities in Hugh Renton’s absence.

This writer has praised the recruitment of Jamie Joseph as Director of Rugby at the Highlanders, and to add to that praise, it’s clear that this young squad is building chemistry that translates on both sides of the ball, and will continue to do so for years to come.

On the flip side, the Waratahs’ 75 per cent tackle percentage was out of character for a club that owns the fourth-best tackle rate in 2026 (86.9 per cent). Caleb Tangitau was responsible for 12 defenders beaten, and his opposite, young Sid Harvey, dropped off eight tackles in the match. Pete Samu was next on the tackles missed list with five.