Highlanders are cetainly the real deal this year, 2015 was no fluke! Aaron Smith guides them around the park beautifully, one of the world's greatest rugby players at the moment. They play with great energy, and literally no-one ever misses a one-on-one tackle.
A few things to like about the Rebels tonight, scrum was solid, and i reckon the backrow was great. Thompson playing his best for a few years, Reid is a real goer, and of course McMahon all year has just been outstanding.
Unfortunately they also have some issues. Debreczini kicks well, but the rest of his game's barely up to Super Rugby standard, Inman just a big straight runner, pretty quickly worked out by good sides, Meehan kicks too often and not well enough, and their line-out went backwards tonight. If I was McGahan I'd have Stirzacker and Hodge starting over Meehan and Placid next week, but I don't know where they get a 10.