Secondgear effort one to leave behind fast
WHERE is the dunny?
For their sakes, the Highlanders need to find it, throw this performance against the Waratahs in there, flush, and quickly move on.
A 4112 loss to the Waratahs, after being down 150 at the break — there was little to like about this effort by the Highlanders in Sydney on Saturday night.
The side was always going to struggle after losing winger Tevita Nabura to a red card not even a quarter into the game, but the Highlanders were just not accurate enough and limped right through the 80 minutes.
Handling was poor, there was a lack of desperation in defence and the side never got out of second gear all night.
The win for the Waratahs ends the 40match drought for Australian teams against New Zealand sides in Super Rugby, but it was a record that was eventually going to go.
More pressing for the Highlanders is how to rid themselves of this limp performance quickly.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger was expecting a tough battle and that is exactly what he got.
Mauger could not be contacted yesterday but he and his side would be nursing plenty of dented egos and wounded bodies.
The side also faces a disrupted week. Its six players named in the All Black squad flew to Auckland yesterday and will not rejoin the team until late Wednesday.
Mauger has already stated cocaptain Ben Smith will not return to Brisbane, where the side will be preparing for the game against the Reds on Saturday night.
No 8 Luke Whitelock, who was named in the All Black squad, may also miss the Reds game, as he has started every game so far and needs a rest.
He will be missed for his strong driving play and tough defence.
Defence is just one of the issues the Highlanders had on Saturday night in Sydney.
The side missed more than two dozen tackles and its line speed was poor as the Waratahs found plenty of gaps in its defensive line.
The Highlanders have been playing a lot of the game this season without the ball and it must catch up with them at some stage.
Tackling takes a lot more out of the body then having the ball and the Highlanders’ petrol tanks must be running low.
Once the Waratahs scored a try early in the second half through Israel Folau, the game was as good as over.
The lineout was ordinary and it is not going to get any easier with the Reds looking to be on the improve.
One factor is the side’s inability to gain any momentum in its game.
Too often the side would be sloppy from receiving the kickoff and give the ball back to the home team.
The side will play the Reds on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium — never a great venue for the team — before coming home to play the Hurricanes at Forsyth Barr Stadium on June 1.
In other games over the weekend, the Sunwolves beat the Stormers 2623, the Crusaders beat the Blues 3224, the Sharks beat the Chiefs 2824, the Lions beat the Brumbies 4224 and the Jaguares beat the Bulls 5424.