Highlanders blank Sunwolves 0-52 to move third

Sunwolves 0-52 Highlanders, Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Scorecard

Highlanders ran an eight try riot as they blanked Sunwolves 0-52 in their Super Rugby encounter at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium on Friday.

This is Highlanders' fourth win in 10 games as they move to the third place in the New Zealand Conference while Sunwolves are languishing at the bottom of the Australian group.

Tom Franklin (5'), Tyrel Lomax (12'), Tevita Li (13'), Josh Ioane (20') and Liam Coltman (32') scored first half tries for the New Zealand side. Fly-half Ioane also kicked four conversions as Highlanders scored 33 unanswered points in the first half.

As the Japanese side failed to find any breakthrough, Li (52'), Robbie Thompson (60') and Sio Tomkinson (64') also dotted down in the second half with Ioane and replacement Bryn Gatland kicking a conversion apiece to complete a 0-52 win for Highlanders to get their second consecutive win in the tournament.