A stray $5 blows into your path as you saunter past the TAB on your way to watch coverage of tonight's Hurricanes and Highlanders clash.

The Coltmans will be at Westpac Stadium tonight, watching their son hopefully be part of a Highlanders victory over the Hurricanes, and complete what has been a dream week for the bush-bearded hooker.

From two seasons in the All Blacks' wider training squad to fighting for a place on the Hurricanes bench, it has been a tough run for Brad Shields.

Kieran Read's concussion-enforced absence from the Crusaders is likely to end next week. Coach Todd Blackadder said yesterday that Read was now back to 100 per cent health after his head injury suffered in the narrow victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Tim Bateman has put family first in his decision to leave the Hurricanes at the end of the Super Rugby season.

It is a long way from the tiny Tongan village of Faleloa to the white-hot cauldron of an All Black test.

The loss to the Chiefs not only extended the Blues' away losing record to 13 in a row, it also effectively ended their chances of making the playoffs.

The Hurricanes can look forward to home cooking for the rest of the Super Rugby season.

Back in the top three and once again the competition's leading try scorers - this should be a rather relaxing bye week for the Chiefs.

This wasn't a message to the rest of the competition from the Crusaders, this was a massacre.

Join us here for tonight's live blog of the Super Rugby clash between the Crusaders and the Reds from Suncorp Stadium.

They did their best to throw away the win but the Highlanders hung on to set up an intriguing battle with the Hurricanes on Friday night.

Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands are on the hunt for players and are putting pressure on those eligible for the Island nations.

Big Ben Tameifuna has a big decision to make — stay with the Chiefs or sign with Toulouse and most likely commit to playing for Tonga at next year’s World Cup.

The ball-carrying power of Patrick Tuipulotu has been noted by the All Black selectors who will almost certainly name the Blues lock in their wider training squad on Monday.

A perfect try played a big part in deciding an imperfect game.

The Chiefs picked their new home to display some of their old form and seize control of the New Zealand conference.

Join us here for tonight's live blog of the Super Rugby clash between the Blues and the Chiefs in New Plymouth.

Huntly has a uniquely Waikato way of welcoming visitors to Chiefs Country. "The Official Cheers Leader of the Super Rugby Champions," proclaims a billboard for Waikato Draught, positioned on the northern outskirts of town.

The Rebels are a melting pot of nationalities and rarely click but when they do they have the ability to torch unsuspecting outfits who arrive at AAMI Park expecting to notch up a bonus-point win.

There is no overstating the importance of this next match for the Blues.

No one needs to remind the Chiefs about the importance of this match.