Steve Hepburn

Two new knees, and plenty of practice, have resulted in former Otago representative Colin Colquhoun shooting below his age at the St Clair Golf Club.

Highlanders general manager Roger Clark has given his full backing to coach Jamie Joseph and says criticism of midfielder Ma'a Nonu is ''absolutely ridiculous''.

It will be the dance of the desperates in Christchurch on Saturday night and stand-in Crusaders captain George Whitelock says sticking to the system is the key to coming out on top.

We have reached the halfway mark in the Super 15, so All Black selection starts coming into the equation. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn has a quick look at an All Black form XV.

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has questioned if the third match official is making decisions any clearer, while Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis admits there is frustration with the man upstairs.

Pride and integrity are all the Highlanders will have to play for in the second half of the season.

This game had all the ingredients to deliver what it did - a forgettable 80 minutes.

Talk about coming from nowhere. This has been a move from the cheap seats to the front row, almost overnight.

The injury list shows no sign of shortening at the Highlanders and players who replaced injured players are now getting injured.

Former All Black hooker Anton Oliver has always been a little bit different.

Former Brazilian jiujitsu world champion Rafael Gordinho Lima instructs a junior class at Gracie Oceania's gym in Dunedin yesterday.

Improving the skills of junior coaches is the first initiative of the Otago Amateur Rugby Trust, as it seeks to help the grassroots level of the sport.

The Highlanders have again rung the changes with a new front row and a debutant on the wing in the side to take on the Crusaders tomorrow night.

Young Otago outside back Tony Ensor is a chance to make his Super 15 debut tomorrow as injury continues to play havoc with the Highlanders.

Sir Graham Henry admits he has not seen a lot of the Highlanders this year but feels they are only a ''bounce'' away from getting a win.

The Crusaders are missing a few big guns but will still field a more than competitive unit to take on the Highlanders in Christchurch tomorrow night.

The Otago Rugby Football Union is hoping to boost the number of referees in the game and is again employing a referee education officer.

The bodies are willing but it is becoming all about the mind for the Highlanders.

The rot has well and truly set in.

You can have your World Cup-winning All Blacks, your home-town boys, and your blokes who have played both union and league to the highest level.