Strong finish earns Highlanders five-try win

The Highlanders have finished their regular season on a high note with a five-try 43-37 Super Rugby win over the Melbourne Rebels in Dunedin.

Missing rested All Blacks Ben Smith, Aaron Smith and Luke Whitelock, the Highlanders were also without centre Rob Thompson and forwards Elliot Dixon and Ash Dixon.

They struggled early on as the Rebels opened out to a 17-3 lead after 20 minutes but momentum switched when Rebels halfback Michael Ruru was shown a questionable yellow card for a foot trip on Lima Sopoaga.

Waisake Naholo and Kayne Hammington both capitalised on the one-man advantage with tries to level the scores before Reece Hodge bagged the first of his two charge-down tries.

Teihorangi Walden responded right on the halftime hooter and the Rebels took a narrow 24-22 lead into the break.

They led 34-22 entering the final quarter, but the Highlanders finished strongly with second-half tries to Tevita Li, Greg Pleasants-Tate and Tom Franklin to secure the win.

A virtuoso display from Hodge wasn't enough for the Rebels, despite the 23-year-old first five-eighth contributing 29 points, including three of his team's four tries.

A match-winning try loomed as the visitors broke down the right after the final hooter but it was halted by a brutal tackle from Naholo on fullback Jack Maddocks.

The Highlanders are assured of sixth place, but their opposition in next week's quarter-finals is still undecided - if they don't face the Lions in Johannesburg, they will travel to Buenos Aires to meet the Jaguares or to Sydney to play the Waratahs.