Fijians carded, Bryn Gatland denies Chiefs in Super thriller
Fijians Jona Nareki and Vilimoni Koroi were yellow carded as their Highlanders side beat Chiefs 28-27 at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday night.
But despite the disadvantages, Chiefs super sub Bryn Gatland stole the show as Super Rugby Aotearoa returned with a fairytale in Dunedin in front of 19,100 rugby-starved fans. Bryn is the son of Chiefs coach Warren Gatland.
Nareki took out Damian McKenzie in the air and after review, correctly sent to the sidelines while debutant Vilimoni Koroi was sin-binned for a tiptackle.
Bryn landed a stunning dropgoal with a couple of minutes left on the clock to give the Highlanders a famous 28-27 win that looked beyond them in a nailbiting final quarter.
Gatland, a late replacement on the bench for the injured Josh Ioane, was the coolest man in Dunedin as he nailed the threepointer that probably broke his father's heart, but also made him quietly proud.
Dinner with parents
Bryn's prediction was eerily accurate after he foretold the series of events at dinner with his dad earlier in the week.
Gatland only earned himself a spot on the Highlanders bench due to an injury to Josh Ioane. He discovered the news on Thursday but had kept it from his father, until he had dinner with his parents that night.
"It was a bit of a different situation for me really," laughed Bryn after the match. ”I found out on Thursday and then had dinner last night with him and mum. “Halfway through dinner he got a text and he looked at me and said: ‘Are you on the bench tomorrow?’“I didn’t want to give the gameplan away!”