Playoff destiny in Landers’ own hands
THEY know they will have to lift their performance on the field but at least the Highlanders do not need advanced degrees in mathematics this weekend.
Their playoff destiny is in their own hands.
Beat the Blues at Eden Park — not what you would call a safe bet, of course — and they will play again next week, potentially as the seventhranked team, one place higher than their current standing.
If they lose on Friday night, they must have three other results go their way.
They will need the Force to lose to the Chiefs — normally a predictable outcome but it is in Perth, the Force will be desperate, and the Chiefs might be unable to avoid a dash of complacency now they have secured top ranking for the playoffs.
They will need the Rebels to lose to the Brumbies in Canberra — you would back the nags in that clash.
Finally, they will need the bangedup Reds to lose to the Fijian Drua in Suva — and that could be the tricky one.
If the Highlanders do squeak into the playoffs, it will mean a trip to either Hamilton or Christchurch, and it might be a very quick trip home, but at least the season will have been extended.
Not that Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody will turn cartwheels with an eighth placing.
‘‘We’ve said if we make the playoffs, we want to be in a position to test the best teams, and I don’t feel we’re quite there yet,’’ he said after Friday’s thrilling 3530 win over the Reds.
‘‘It’s good to have momentum, going up to Auckland, but we know we’ve got to be better again to try and test the Blues.’’
Last week was all about Aaron Smith and the final chance for the Forsyth Barr Stadium faithful to see the great halfback in a blue jersey.
The team duly delivered a fairytale finish for Smith with his understudy, Folau Fakatava, scoring a lastminute try.
‘‘There was a lot going on during the week, and so there should have been,’’ Dermody said.
‘‘He’s such a big part of, not just our club, but New Zealand rugby, so sending him off the right way was important.
‘‘The best thing, I think, was that the young guys coming through got to see how much one player has meant to the club. Hopefully that inspires them, but it’s also what the club means to one player.’’
Dermody was disappointed the Highlanders started so poorly, conceding two tries inside the first 10 minutes, but felt his side was always in the game.
The impact of the bench was notable as Saula Ma’u, Connor GardenBachop and Fakatava all came off the pine to score tries, while Dermody again made the semiradical call, influenced by the resource situation, to end the game without a lock in the lineup.
‘‘We made a decision to finish with all the loose forwards on the field.
‘‘You have to weigh up the pressure you might come under in the set piece, but the plus side is the ball movement and the accuracy at the breakdown, and I guess the collisions when the Reds were trying to hold on to the ball.’’
The Highlanders wore black armbands to show support for one of the Highlanders’ sidelined locks and a treasured member of the squad, Josh Dickson, whose younger brother Sam died of cancer the night before the game.
‘‘It’s hugely sad for Josh and his family,’’ Dermody said.
‘‘The boys have been heavily invested in giving everything they can. I know they’re thinking of the family. We all are. It’s a tough time for everyone.’’
Smith also sent a message to his grieving teammate.
‘‘Our thoughts and prayers are with our brother,’’ Smith said.
‘‘We are thinking of them, and the club is deeply saddened for Josh. We send nothing but love to the Dickson family.’’
— The Chiefs sealed top spot for the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs with a 3121 win over the Brumbies on Saturday night, while winger Mark Telea scored four tries to lead the Blues to a 3625 win over the Hurricanes.
There was a tryfest in Lautoka, where the Drua clung on for a 4746 win over Moana Pasifika, and the Crusaders beat the Waratahs 4218.
Taieri .................................... 15 Harbour ................................ 13
The sin bin saw almost as much action as the scoreboard at Peter Johnstone Park on Saturday.
Harbour’s tackle technique and discipline cost it dearly in the narrow 1513 loss to Taieri.
The Hawks copped two yellow cards and a red card in the opening half. They also picked up another yellow late in the game, while Taieri lost Brodie Hume to the bin for 10 in the first spell as well.
The red got dished out to Harbour captain Aleki MorrisLome for a dangerous tackle on winger Chicayne Giblett in the 35th minute.
That was a big setback for the Hawks, but the visitors rose to the challenge.
Having spent large portions of the first half defending their line, they came out with more intensity and took the game to Taieri.
They trailed 123 at the break, but enjoyed a greater share of the ball and were able to build some pressure on the Eels.
Hooker Tane Vatuvei dived over in the corner to score the game’s only try midway through the second spell.
Obey Samate nailed the sideline conversion and slotted a penalty to set up a nailbitting finish.
But Taieri slipped out of the noose.
Eels halfback Bob Martin brought up his 50th game for the team and produce a solid display. Lock Josh Hill dominated the lineout and made some strong carries, while first five Alex Honey slotted five penalties in a tidy performance.
Samate was influential for Harbour and second five Will Tufui crashed the ball up nice and hard. — Adrian Seconi
Southern .............................. 33 AlhambraUnion ................... 30
Highlanders outside back Mosese Dawai crossed for three tries and did his best to carry AlhambraUnion to a shock win over Southern at Bathgate Park.
However, the Magpies held on to win 3330. But they almost engineered their own demise.
They opened the scoring through hardworking lock Aron Einarsson. Further tries to Josh Buchan, James Te Pairi and Mika Mafi seemingly had the home team on track for a very comfortable day out.
Southern led 2810 at the break. But AU roared back into the contest as Southern kept seeing yellow.
Einarsson copped 10 minutes early, and Mafi and Kiardyn Hatch took their turns on the naughty step not long after he returned.
Southern was forced to play with 13 men for close to 10 minutes, and AU scored three unanswered tries to close to 2728.
Dawai, who slotted in at fullback, grabbed two of them to go with the one he scored earlier in the game.
Southern responded with a try to hooker Jake McEwan in the boot of a lineout drive.
Oscar Anderson kicked a penalty to close the gap to three points with 10 minutes remaining.
The game was called off three minutes early due to an injury to Buchan, who dislocated his ankle.
Mafi had a quality game for Southern despite his stint in the bin, and Buchan, who is now out for the season, enhanced his reputation with another good performance.
Dawai was the best of the AU players. His power and pace came in very handy during a 50m run to the line.
He shrugged off several tacklers and had the momentum to get across despite a desperate ankle tap.
Openside Keenan Rush snaffled some important turnovers and made some key tackles.
AU struggled in the lineout and will need to work on its options there. — Adrian Seconi
Kaikorai ................................ 50 University ............................... 8
Rampaging forwards, freeflowing backs and an aggressive defence were the hallmarks of Kaikorai's bonuspoint victory over a wounded University side at Bishopscourt.
While preparing for the match, the Bookies learned of the death of 24yearold blindside flanker Sam Dickson from cancer.
Out of respect, the team retired the No 6 jersey for the game, Oliver Gardiner playing in a jersey without a number.
Gardiner, combining nicely with openside Louis Magalogo, featured in a University pack that tried hard to restrict Kaikorai's dominance up front.
Kaikorai embraced an expansive game plan and space opened up for the Demons. Left winger Nico Bowering bagged a hattrick of tries before the break and Jordan McEntee grabbed a brace on the right to hand Kaikorai a 313 lead at halftime.
Kaikorai scored in the opening minute of the second half through prop Ulaea Takataka. He burst up the guts from a breakdown to create space for first five Nic Proffit to carve his way over for the try.
That sparked University into life. The passes began to stick and its kicking game became more accurate, leading to a try to winger Mac Harris.
From this point, the game saw some epic defence from both sides which made for an enthralling encounter. Both Kaikorai's lastquarter tries come from forward drives close to the line
Featuring in Kaikorai's forward dominance were frontrowers Jackson Dempster, Michael Strydom and Takataka. Flanker Lucas Casey and Proffit featured throughout in general play. — Wayne Parsons
Dunedin ............................... 47 ZingariRichmond ................ 17
A Zingari team decimated with injury woes came out firing against the vaunted Dunedin side at Shark Park.
The Colours dominated territory, hid the ball from their opposites and spent 15 minutes deep in Dunedin territory, but could not rack up any points because of desperate Dunedin defence. They were to pay heavily for not turning pressure into points.
Dunedin finally got its hands on the ball through its powerful scrum. Winger Ryan Watterson kicked a penalty and blindside Konrad LotuI’iga scampered 50m from a turnover to score a converted try, and the worm had turned.
Dunedin had scored three more tries by halftime. Watterson scored from a kickpass, first five Ben Paku ghosted through a gap to compound Zingari’s misery, and flanker Max Ratcliffe dotted down from a rolling maul.
Zingari did manage one try when winger Sosaia Fonua went over out wide. But Zingari was down by 20 at halftime and the game was done.
The Dunedin pack took control in the second spell. Wingers Watterson and Oscar SchmidtUili benefited by scoring from close range, and replacement prop and flanker Hunter Fahey and Jay Davis were in the back of driving mauls and also scored.
Zingari scored late consolation tries, also from mauls, to Chris Bell and Poyer ReihanaFinau.
In the Dunedin pack, front rowers Harry Press and Rohan Wingham were powerful all round the park, big lock Reuben Palmer underlined why he is a player to watch, and LotuI’iga put on his best display of the season.
Lock Lawrence LeungWai was a constant threat at lineout time for Zingari, and chunky first five Tala Fagasoia was the most combative of the backs. — Paul Dwyer