IN CONTROL Southern sides too strong
Fears the Waratahs might break the Aussie hoodoo against New Zealand’s Super Rugby sides this season proved short-lived, as the Highlanders eased away during the second half to a 44-28 victory in Dunedin last night.
Trailing 14-13 at halftime, the Southerners were teetering on the brink of an upset loss but found their mojo immediately after the restart, taking advantage of an undermanned New South Wales outfit to regain control of the contest.
“We knew they were going to come here and really test us, and I think they did,” said Highlanders skipper Ben Smith.
“We knew they would bring that intensity early on and if we could stick at it, there would be chances later in the game.”
The result puts the Highlanders in a strong position to claim a wildcard spot in the playoffs.
They dominated the early exchanges and were unlucky not to open the scoring in the seventh minute, when prop Aki Seiuli crawled over the tryline but was penalised for a double movement.
First-five Marty Banks eventually got the scoreboard ticking over, when the Waratahs were deemed offside at a ruck and he slotted a penalty from near halfway.
Almost immediately from the kickoff, the Highlanders extended their advantage to double figures, somewhat fortuitously, when they took advantage of confusion around a Waratahs defensive scrum.
No 8 Luke Whitelock blocked an attempted clearance kick and Richard Buckman gathered the deflection to cross in the corner.
Replays suggested he may have been ahead of Whitelock but game officials gave him the benefit of the doubt and Banks converted from the sideline.
That injustice seemed to spark the Waratahs to life and they snatched two converted tries to Israel Folau and Taqele Naiyaravoro to edge ahead by halftime.
“We just had to keep playing and we knew we’d get our chances,” reflected Smith afterwards. “We just wanted to lift the tempo a bit and play at our speed.”
The home side seized back that momentum soon after the secondhalf restart, when Waratahs lock Dean Mumm was yellow-carded for dumping Elliot Dixon in a lineout.
From the penalty and subsequent lineout, Highlanders hooker Liam Coltman was driven over the line in a maul.
“We managed to score from that lineout and things changed from there, but it was a tough game,” said Smith.
Still a man up, the Highlanders were over again three minutes later, after left wing Tevita Li gathered a chip kick from Malakai Fekitoa to cross untouched.
Over the closing 20 minutes, the Highlanders bench cut their counterparts to ribbons, with Rob Thompson, Daniel Lienert-Brown and Lima Sopoaga running in some breath-taking tries. Sopoaga was impressive in his 20-minute cameo, as he continued his comeback from a long injury break to stake his claim for an All Blacks spot against the Lions next month.
“Discipline killed us against a solid team like the Highlanders, who took their opportunities well,” rued Waratahs captain Michael Hooper. “Their second half was fantastic.”
The Highlanders now face a crunch encounter against the Crusaders on Saturday afternoon, while the Waratahs play the Chiefs in Hamilton on the same day.
Highlanders 44 (R. Buckman, L. Coltman, T. Li, R. Thompson, D. LienertBrown, L. Sopoaga tries; M. Banks con, 2 pens, Sopoaga 3 cons) Waratahs 28 (J. Gordon 2, I. Folau, T. Naiyaravoro tries; B. Foley 4 cons).