Step up Damian McKenzie. The question has always been when, not if, he'd be an All Black and given events of recent months, the answer might be 2016.

For the first three years of Dave Rennie's reign at the Chiefs, clashes with the Crusaders conformed to a certain pattern.

A dire opening half killed the Blues' season once and for all in Dunedin tonight.

Join us here for tonight's live blog of the Super Rugby clash between the Highlanders and the Blues.

Their most recent outing against the Stormers two weeks ago produced a 25-20 victory but there was collateral damage.

Jimmy Cowan is going back to his roots - back to Dunedin to face the team he played for more than 100 times, a team he freely admits are much better now.

Something's just not right with the Crusaders. They tinker with their combinations, often swapping test men for test men but progress is marginal.

Sharks players who are suspended because of foul play will now be docked their wages.

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph is completely satisfied with the condition of prop Josh Hohneck, saying that anyone who can go pig hunting and capture a boar must be all right.

Aaron Cruden will come up against a pair of mates and rivals when the Chiefs visit the Crusaders.

Kees was among 90 youngsters whose names were drawn from a ballot in an exercise in which 10 others received jerseys through the BNZ and team Facebook pages.

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder is anticipating another "epic battle" in his team's derby with the Chiefs this weekend.

The last time Sonny Bill Williams and Charlie Ngatai started together in midfield, the Chiefs produced their attacking performance of the season.

The Waratahs are the next foe to try to take down the undefeated Hurricanes on Saturday at the Cake Tin.

New Zealand Rugby wants to ensure last weekend's concussion incident doesn't happen again and believes the key lies in making television footage available to the match-day doctor.

Concussions are not an area where there can be too much of a good thing - better 10 people saying a player might be concussed than no one, writes Gregor Paul.

Cowan, Bekhuis and Woodcock or Naholo, Fekitoa, Aaron Smith, Ash Dixon and Dan Pryor - Wynne Gray wonders, which team got the better deal?

Rugby great Sean Fitzpatrick says it's a good thing that some of New Zealand's finest are choosing to play abroad - both for the "phenomenal" money and experience.

Highlanders prop Josh Hohneck should never have played on after being knocked cold during Saturday night's Super Rugby game vs the Crusaders.

Hika Elliot is one man who can empathise with the life-changing decision made by Ben Afeaki to quit rugby.

Colin Slade's decision to play overseas next year has just made Todd Blackadder's rebuilding job at the Crusaders in 2016 a whole lot tougher.

The Highlanders made a big pitch to keep star winger Waisake Naholo but he had all-but signed a deal to go to France before the season had even kicked off.

Luke Braid is another concussion casualty for the Blues and will miss Saturday's match against the Highlanders in Dunedin.