Highlanders coach had given up hope
HIGHLANDERS coach Tony Brown had given up.
Down 41-24 against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein with five minutes left, he’d pencilled in a loss and switched his focus to next weekend’s game against the Bulls.
What he didn’t know, was his team was about to rattle off three quick-fire tries to pull off one of the best comebacks in recent memory.
‘‘Honestly, I’d moved on,’’ Brown said after his team’s stunning 45-41 win. ‘‘I was selecting the team for the Bulls game.
‘‘A massive get out of jail card, but awesome from our guys to have the belief to come back and score three tries in five minutes.’’
Brown was spotted jumping from his seat and fist pumping in elation when wing Waisake Naholo crossed out wide after the final hooter.
The Highlanders’ sixth try came just four minutes after fullback Matt Faddes finished off a 95m try, which elusive replacement Fletcher Smith sparked with his first touch of the ball.
What still seemed like the STANDINGS
Fimpossible after Highlanders wing Tevita Li scored an apparent consolation try in the 76th minute, was all of a sudden possible.
The Cheetahs, who shortly before believed they had a bonus point win in the bag, could barely pick themselves up off their own turf when it was all over.
Brown likened the Cheetahs’ late capitulation to Team New Zealand’s unforgettable collapse against Oracle Team USA in the 2013 America’s Cup, when the Kiwis blew a 8-1 lead in the firstto-nine wins series.
‘‘Honestly, we were hoping just to get a bonus point,’’ Brown said. ‘‘But when we scored that second try straight off the kickoff, we thought we had a chance.
‘‘For us to hang on to the ball for all those phases and execute really well on the outside to put [Naholo] in, I’m just really proud as a coach.’’
Brown said his team was ‘‘elated’’ after extending their winning streak to six games, but did take a moment to sympathise with the Cheetahs.
‘‘I thought the Cheetahs were outstanding tonight and probably deserved to win that game. I thought they had 20 minutes in the second half where they were just unstoppable and played some awesome footy.’’
He also said the losing of the game for the home side was ‘‘probably’’ the 73rd minute yellow card to loose forward Uzair Cassiem for a high shot on Aki Seiuli.