Holding momentum key for Highlanders, Dixon says
STOPPING a momentum swing could be key for the Highlanders tonight.
Still searching for its win of the season, the team faces the Blues at Eden Park, coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Crusaders last weekend.
After the Highlanders led 276 with half an hour to go, the Crusaders took over the game and scored two late tries to sneak a 3027 win.
The comeback came after a big momentum swing which the Highlanders could not halt.
The Blues team is capable of something similar and it is something standin captain Elliot Dixon said the side have looked at.
‘‘Looking back on it now, you can see where that momentum was starting to shift [against the Crusaders],’’ he said.
‘‘With our reviews this week we’ve gone over ways we could have stopped it. But sometimes you’ve just got to give credit to a good team as well.
‘‘The Crusaders changed their game after 50 minutes. They started holding the ball a bit more instead of kicking it back to us.
‘‘They put our defence under pressure a bit and scored a good couple of tries and their set piece was pretty good in the last 30 as well, with the pushover try and putting us under pressure.
‘‘So there were a lot of things for us that we wanted to work on, but also a good Crusaders side.’’
He said his first game as captain had gone well up until the last 15 minutes, but he was ready to go for a second time tonight.
The All Black loose forward was expecting a tough game from a Blues team which was coming off a 4126 loss to the Chiefs.
‘‘With the starting lineup they’ve named, and even the guys on the bench, they’ve all been playing well.
‘‘It’s good to see Patrick Tuipolotu back up there, after his name was, I suppose, smeared over headlines with that drug testing.
‘‘He’s a good guy and I know it would have been hard for him. I think he’s just relishing being back and that showed when he played against the Chiefs.’’
Dixon was set to pack down on the openside flank tonight, filling the void left by the three injured No 7s.
It was a position he had filled in the past, although predominantly he has played in the six and eight jerseys. However the switch did not bother him.
‘‘I just go where I’m told, to be honest. ‘‘It’s going to be different. ‘‘It’s better for me I guess to get into the game a bit earlier, in the first ruck or defending off one.
‘‘Sometimes you can get kind of lost in a game if the ball doesn’t come your way, or they don’t run back your way. I’m excited, the lungs will be hissing a bit, but it should be fun.’’