This was a Mulligan for the Blues - a duff drive off the first tee that they can discard and start counting proper as of now.

Join us here for our live blog of the Super Rugby match between the Highlanders and the Blues from Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

ODT rugby columnist Paul Dwyer catches up with the Highlanders' co-captains, Ben Smith and Nasi Manu, ahead of the team's match against the Blues at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night.

Herald columnist Justin Marshall breaks down the five franchises ahead of this weekend's NZ Super Rugby launch.

Gregor Paul and Wynne Gray look towards the start of the NZ matches in the 2015 Super Rugby season, who will win and who will fail?. Herald Rugby will be with you every week as the season unfolds.

The Highlanders have scored only three tries in the pre-season but coach Jamie Joseph is not pushing any panic buttons over his attack.

Redemption is the primary goal for the Highlanders in 2014.

It is not often a team's season can be decided by one game but for the Highlanders that may be the case.

Best thing about the Highlanders? Their foxy home stadium, the Smiths, Nasi Manu and Brad Thorn, writes Wynne Gray.

The University of Otago has become the first university in New Zealand to sign on as a major sponsor of a Super Rugby franchise. The deal between the university and the Highlanders was announced at Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday afternoon. Many of the Highlanders staff and players have studied at Otago, and both organisations feel the partnership will be beneficial.

Images of the pre-season match between the Highlanders and Brumbies in Queenstown.

New Zealand's Super rugby conference is primed for a high-octane start next year with a clash between the Chiefs and Crusaders.

Jamie Joseph's water-tight contract makes him safe until the end of next year, but his assistants might not be so lucky.

The Highlanders will play the final match of their disastrous season against the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday but no matter what the result is.

It's not often that a dead game has so much life.

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph must have watched his side's 49-44 victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington tonight wondering `where has this been all year?'.

With the blood running hot, it took the cool head of Daniel Carter to steer the Crusaders home tonight.

The news last night that more than 4000 extra seats have been made available for tonight's Highlanders match against the Crusaders in Dunedin should add to the alarm bells ringing in the visitors' camp.

You could almost hear Jamie Joseph, coach of the Highlanders, saying: 'Hang on ... what's going on here?'

In his duties as AJ the Chicken, the Highlanders' mascot, Mr James tackled a streaker during the home team's victory over the Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.

The Highlanders finally woke from a deep slumber to dispatch the Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium last night.