Cape Town - The Highlanders have proven too strong for the Sunwolves in a Super Rugby encounter played at Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill, running out 40-15 winners.
As it happened: Highlanders v Sunwolves
The visitors managed to hold the home side for much of the first half where two late tries saw the Highlanders take a 21-3 lead into the break.
The Highlanders looked to be racing towards a massive score early in the second half, running in three further tries in the first 13 minutes but could not add to their score afterwards.
The Highlanders scored six tries in the match through Malakai Fekitoa, Liam Squire, Aaron Smith, Matt Faddes (2) and Ben Smith.
Marty Banks added five conversions.
The visitors managed to add some respectability to the score thanks to two tries of their own from Willie Britz and Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco.
Yu Tamura added a conversion and penalty.
Next week the Highlanders face the Stormers at home while the Sunwolves are up against the Chiefs in Waikato.
Teams
Highlanders
15 Ben Smith (captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Matt Faddes, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Marty Banks, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Elliot Dixon, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown
Sunwolves
15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Takaaki Nakazuru, 13 William Tupou, 12 Timothy Lafaele, 11 Yasutaka Sasakura, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Yuhimaru Mimura, 6 Edward Quirk (captain), 5 Uwe Helu, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Yasuo Yamaji, 2 Yusuke Niwai, 1 Keita Inagaki
Substitutes: 16 Takeshi Kizu, 17 Koki Yamamoto, 18 Heiichiro Ito, 19 Shinya Makabe, 20 Rahboni Warren Vosayaco, 21 Yuki Yatomi, 22 Hayden Cripps, 23 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi