Quite simply, it was a game of two halves.
The fortunate news for Highlanders fans was that their side won both of them.
In the first 40 minutes there were breakaway tries, patchy defence and free-flowing play.
The second half was more typical of an intense Super Rugby battle between old foes.
The scoring began less than five minutes into the match when a poorly thrown Crusaders pass was intercepted by Highlanders centre Matt Faddes.
Three minutes, later the Highlanders were back in Crusaders territory and applying more early pressure. Lock Jackson Hemopo brushed off two defenders to crash over and give the Highlanders their second try.
After regathering themselves, the Crusaders peppered the Highlanders’ try line with short-range attacks in their first visit into their opponent’s 22m.
The Highlanders defence held up well before a penalty try was awarded to the Crusaders after several phases.
It was a stuttering start but the Crusaders attack got its act together by midway through the first spell Bryn Hall scored the Crusaders’ second try on the end of slick string of passes, to put them in front.
The Crusaders forwards had hit their straps by that stage and shortly after they were back attacking the Highlanders’ line again.
This time Wyatt Crockett charged from one off the ruck and crashed over for a try.
The matched had turned against the home side and things appeared to get worse at the 25-minute mark.
Highlanders first five Lima Sopoaga went down and was forced from the field. He was replaced by Fletcher Smith. But the southern crowd breathed a sigh of relief when the All Black returned to the field before halftime. Faddes was in dynamic form. His second try was the result of some smart footwork and he drew even louder cheers when, only minutes later, he again found a hole in the Crusaders midfield defence and crashed over for his third try, five minutes from halftime. The teams went to the sheds — or, in this case, their sideline tents — with the Highlanders leading 28-19. The second half started with the intensity of a regular-season game.
Both teams shored up their defences and the points were no longer free-flowing. The Highlanders squandered the first chance to add to their lead and were not offered any more in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.
After a to-and-fro battle in which the teams were stuck on halfway, Crusaders wing Braydon Ennor scored a well-worked try.
The Highlanders hit back through their forwards by stringing phases together and pushing over for a penalty try halfway through the second half.
The further the match progressed the more it turned into an arm-wrestle, one the Highlanders were winning.
A late Tei Walden try sealed the match for the home side, which remains unbeaten at Fred Booth Park.
Super Rugby
Pre-season match
Highlanders 42
Matt Faddes 3, Jackson Hemopo, Tei Walden tries, penalty try; Lima Sopoaga 3, Fletcher Smith 2 con
Crusaders 26
Bryn Hall, Wyatt Crockett, Braydon Ennor tries, penalty try; Richie Mo’unga con, Mitchell Hunt con
Halftime: 28-19