Highlanders hold sway
The Highlanders have inflicted further misery on the Blues and their lengthy drought against fellow Kiwi teams.
Their 41-34 win in Dunedin on Friday night not only ensured the Blues still haven’t beaten a New Zealand team since they beat the Highlanders in the opening round of 2016, it locked up the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy.
New coach Aaron Mauger also tasted a bonus point win in his first match in charge of the franchise, not that he would have been able to relax until the game was sealed only when referee Wayne Nutbrown blew the final whistle.
In a frantic match where the lead changed hands multiple times, the Highlanders outscored the Blues five tries to four, and hit
the lead for good when second-five Tei Walden completed his brace in the 61st minute.
It came just minutes after his first try, which knotted the game up at 31-31, as the Highlanders made the 14-man Blues pay while Antonio Kirikiri was in the bin for 10 minutes after a high shot on Lima Sopoaga.
Anyone concerned about the Highlanders’ midfield post Malakai Fekitoa, will no doubt be breathing easier after Walden and centre Rob Thompson each scored twice. Thompson was particularly impressive, scoring two tries, including a 45m dash to the line in the first half, and setting up Walden’s second with a nicely weighted chip-kick.
The pair also did a decent job defending opposites Sonny Bill Williams and George Moala who, along with the rest of their team, will have to wait at least another week to end their 12-match winless streak against Kiwi teams.
It’s been 728 days and counting since the Blues won a derby, althought it’s fair to say they more than played their part in a thrilling encounter.
The Highlanders opened the scoring with a Lima Sopoaga penalty 10 minutes into the match, but it was Blues pivot Bryn Gatland who bagged the first five-pointer.
Gatland, starting in place of the injured Stephen Perofeta (broken hand), stepped inside second-five Tei Walden to temporarily hush the crowd and give the visitors a
7-3 lead after a quarter of an hour. However, the lead was short lived as centre Rob Thompson crashed on to a short Sopoaga ball and dived over from close range. It was the first of two tries by Thompson, who has played the majority of his professional career at second-five eighth.
His second - a 45m dash to the line after taking an inside ball from lock Tom Franklin - was even better, and gave the home side a
17-14 lead.
But an Akira Ioane try - a run off the back of the scrum which gave Highlanders halfback Aaron Smith no chance - and a Gatland penalty on the stroke of halftime ensured the Blues went into the sheds with a handy 24-17 lead.