The result sees the Highlanders U20 finish the tournament in fifth place, while the Barbarians settle for sixth. It was a fantastic showcase of the young talent coming through the system, with both sides displaying attacking intent and resilience throughout. While the Highlanders ultimately held on for the win, the Barbarians can take plenty of positives from their spirited second-half performance. For now, that rounds things out in this one. Thanks for tuning into Tribe.

Despite the loss, the Barbarians showed plenty of heart, particularly in the second half. Their forwards muscled up, and the bench provided a noticeable impact, closing the gap from 23 points at half-time to just 11 before the late Highlanders intercept try. Matenga was classy at flyhalf, controlling play well, while Ratcliffe and McIntosh carried strongly throughout. For the Highlanders, Rangitutia impressed out wide, Muliaina and Pledger were sharp in attack, and their pack laid a strong foundation, with Tengblad and Brock leading the way up front.

Momentum continued to shift in the final quarter, with Blakely proving instrumental for the Barbarians. He finished strongly down the right side in the 63rd minute before diving over again off the back of a dominant scrum in the 72nd. With time winding down, the Barbarians looked to finish on a high, but once again, an intercept proved costly. Just as they pressed for one final score, Mustchin picked off a pass and linked up with Augustine, who dotted down next to the posts one minute past full-time, sealing the Highlanders' victory.

The Barbarians came out firing after the break, immediately reducing the deficit as Nemec-Vial powered over under the posts in the 42nd minute. However, the Highlanders struck back moments later, with Brock catching the defence napping to crash over. Pledger then sniped through untouched under the posts, restoring the Highlanders' comfortable lead. The Barbarians refused to back down, as Ratuibau burst through a gap to finish brilliantly down the left wing, sparking hope for a comeback. Their bench provided much-needed impact, lifting the intensity as they clawed their way back into the contest.

The Highlanders U20 secured a 18-point victory over the NZ Barbarians U21 in Taupo, capping off an action-packed match filled with attacking flair. Leading by 23 points at half-time, the Highlanders were clinical in punishing Barbarians' mistakes, with Muliaina and Pledger orchestrating play superbly. Early tries from Pledger, Brailey, and Rangitutia put the Highlanders in command, while Augustine’s intercept try right on the half-time siren further extended their advantage. The Barbarians showed glimpses of promise through their forward pack, with Knight and Ririnui crossing for well-earned tries, but they had plenty of work to do in the second half.

Patuawa misses from the left side and that is full-time.

HIGHLANDERS FINISH IN STYLE! The siren sounds as Manuel feeds to the scrum, attacking left but the pass is picked off by Mustchin and he is dragged down short, offloading for Augustine to score next to the posts!