Rugby: Plenty of star power on show

Aaron Smith of the Highlanders gets his pass away in the match against the Crusaders on Saturday. Photo / Getty Images

Assistant All Black coach Wayne Smith likes to focus his video camera on one player for an entire match.

That gives Smith a better idea about a player's contribution, what he does without the ball, how he marks up in defence and how his organisation stacks up.

Smith was in Nelson on Saturday, his lens trained on a World Cup contender involved in the Highlanders' impressive 26-18 victory against the Crusaders.

The identity of that player is classified, the details downloaded and noted in some special file, but Smith and his sidekicks could widen their view.

The video target may have been Zac Guildford, Robbie Fruean, Matt Todd or Wyatt Crockett, players who have been pushing their claims through the Crusaders this season.

It could just as well have been Ben Smith, Aaron Smith, Jamie Mackintosh, Jarrad Hoeata, Josh Bekhuis or Nasi Manu from the Highlanders.

A swag of other World Cup aspirants were on the bench or sidelined but those on Trafalgar Park offered some compelling cases for All Black interest.

Watching the interaction of a full and broad replay should interest Smith and his national selection colleagues.

All camera angles will be pointed at Carisbrook on Friday when the Blues challenge the Highlanders.

It is a game of huge significance in the surge to the playoffs.

The Blues lead the New Zealand conference, the Highlanders are third, split by the Crusaders. Who would have thunk it?

The Blues have had potential but no consistency since 2003, the Highlanders have been battling.

This year the Blues have won games they would have lost in previous campaigns. They still fade in patches but they are winning and that is feeding their confidence.

This season the Highlanders under the guidance of new coach Jamie Joseph have won seven games, equal to their combined tally for the last two seasons.

Six of this year's regulars including star blindsider Adam Thomson, halfback Jimmy Cowan, bustling flanker Alando Soaki and wing Kade Poki were missing on Saturday.

The Crusaders were down on starpower too but most theories mention the depth in their squad.

Meanwhile the Highlanders hauled Tony Brown in to work the five-eighths role because Colin Slade has busted his jaw again. Brown is a very capable footballer, a former All Black but he is also 36.

He is 18 months younger than Tana Umaga and a month older than Brad Thorn - two remarkable athletes - but it is a special feat to run a Super 15 backline.

Special efforts though, are nothing new this year for the Highlanders.

Their latest victory against the Crusaders was a great start to a punishing sequence where the Highlanders have to play all four other Kiwi teams.

They are the only New Zealand side facing that unbroken schedule in the tournament.

They began untidily, Brown kicking out on the full and Mackintosh penalised at the first scrum, but they ended in rich colour.

The Highlanders' defence was massive, their numbers turned over possession and they made the small moments count. James Paterson rode home two great tries, Robbie Robinson saved two from a flying Zac Guildford.

It was that sort of game. The Crusaders could have won by plenty but the men from the south rode their passion and good fortune.

Now the Crusaders head for Perth and South Africa.

The Blues and Highlanders have been to South Africa and duke out all their remaining games, except one, in New Zealand.

They meet twice in the competition, this Friday and then in the final round at Eden Park.

They were games pre-season, the Blues might have ringed for results.

No longer, just ask the Crusaders.