Reds’ loss ends Highlanders’ season
TWO out of three ain’t bad.
But you can guarantee the Queensland Reds will not be getting a Christmas card from the Highlanders this year.
The formula was simple but the cooperation from their Anzac cousins was regrettably incomplete, and the Highlanders will not be appearing in the Super Rugby playoffs this season.
Some will argue that is neither a surprise nor a reason — given the reward would have been a trip to Hamilton and a likely comprehensive defeat by the Chiefs — to be particularly upset.
It is still not a great look, though, especially as the other New Zealand teams all made it, and indeed three of them will be hosting quarterfinals.
The Highlanders actually won one more game (five) than they managed last season, and missed out on the playoffs only on points differential.
They tied for eighth with the Reds. Each had five wins, so the qualifier was points differential, and the Queenslanders’ was 37 points superior. If only the Highlanders had not leaked points like a sieve in the early rounds.
Oddly, the Highlanders also tied for eighth with an Australian team (the Force) last year, but points differential worked in their favour.
Following their gutsy 169 loss to the Blues on Friday night, the Highlanders needed favours from three Australian teams.
The Rebels duly lost to the Brumbies, 3317, in Canberra, and — even though the Chiefs rested half their team in Perth — the mediocre Force slumped to a 4319 loss.
In between those ideal results was the fly in the ointment.
The Fijian Drua are so hard to beat at home, and they simultaneously sealed their first appearance in the playoffs in their second season and dashed the Highlanders’ hopes with a 4117 win over the Reds in Suva.
The Drua wiped the Reds off the park in the second half, and if only they got to play at home, they would have a good shot of progressing in the coming weeks.
Their reward is a quarterfinal against the Crusaders in Christchurch, and while every rugby fan in his or her right mind will be pulling for Pacific power to triumph, the reality is the home team should be far too strong.
Likewise, it should be relatively smooth sailing for the Chiefs to roll right over the Reds in Hamilton.
The Blues might need to play better than they did on Friday night but they should also have few issues dealing to the Waratahs in Auckland.
Three relatively predictable quarterfinals is not ideal for those who hope in vain for a competition that throws up lots of surprises, but the fourth playoff game should be interesting.
While the Brumbies start as favourites at home, they will need to be wary of the Hurricanes, who pipped the Crusaders 2726 on Saturday night.
It was a farewell from Wellington for longserving Hurricanes hooker Dane Coles, who is retiring at the end of the year.
The famously niggly rake departed with a typical performance that included plenty of vigorous work in the tight as well as the usual verbal sprays for his opponents.
While a Crusaders loss is always reason to celebrate, the story of the final round was — finally — Moana Pasifika.
The battling team had lost 13 straight games but scored three good tries in the first half before beating the Waratahs 3324 in Sydney.
Moana Pasifika is losing its coach and, regrettably, its best player (to the Crusaders, which stings).
But the concept behind the team remains worthy. Four of its losses were by three points or fewer, and it is in the whole competition’s interests to keep the Aucklandbased Pasifika team alive.
TOKO has lifted the South Otago banner for the first time since 1992.
Toko beat Crescent 4414 in a onesided match in front of a bumper home crowd at Milton on Saturday.
The home side flew out of the blocks and was 170 ahead inside quarter of an hour.
The middle stages of the first half were hardfought, and neither side managed to score. Toko led 207 at halftime. The second half was dominated by Toko, which scored four further tries and conceded just one.
It was a fantastic result for the club which has been in top form this season. Toko retained the McIntosh Cup, Speight's Jug, and Eddie Scott Memorial as well as giving skipper Dylan Greer something to smile about in his 100th match.
Owaka caused the upset of the round, beating Clutha Valley 2619 at Clydevale.
Owaka dominated the opening half and scored four tries to lead 260 at halftime. Valley charged back into the match in the second half but could not quite chase down Owaka’s solid firsthalf score.
Owaka’s scramble defence was on point in the second half. Valley threw everything at the Owaka defence towards the end of the match, but Owaka held on for a welldeserved victory.
West Taieri and Heriot played out a 1515 draw in their topofthetable clash at Outram.
In a tight first half, dominated by the whistle, West Taieri scored the only points with a penalty, to lead 30 at the break.
Poor discipline on attack was the major theme for West Taieri in the second half as it repeatedly conceded penalties. It would get into a good position on the field before giving away a penalty which Heriot gladly accepted.
Heriot’s forwards were strong in the tight exchanges and their backs enjoyed a territorial advantage, but key errors at crucial times stopped it from running away with the match which it could have well and truly won.
Lawrence beat Clinton 2919 in their match played on Friday night in Lawrence.
Lawrence was the dominant team from the outset and built its win on hard, crunching defence and strong forward carriers. Lawrence brought physicality which Clinton could not match, especially in the forwards.
Lawrence controlled the breakdown, and its midfield runners were strong on both attack and defence.
Clinton scored two opportunistic tries to stay in the match, but never looked like taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Lawrence well and truly deserved the win.