Full house of points for Highlanders

 

It's not easy to sit pretty in Super Rugby, at least not when your are involved in the internecine warfare of internal derbies. The Highlanders must have thought that were sitting pretty when Adam Thomson scored them a ridiculously easy try and they led 27-6, bonus point banked. But then the Blues brought on some heavies and the Highlanders spent the rest of the half on desperate defence and at times their defences came tumbling down till the Blues  had got themselves closer in than had been expected.

 

The Blues started well enough on an evening of heavy dew after a day of fog. They were at home where the Highlanders had only once before beaten them but try as they may they did not look like a team likely to create victory.

 

Gareth Anscombe goaled them a penalty and for the first 19 minutes they led 3-0 but in that time the Highlanders were the ones who looked like scoring.

 

The Highlanders were bashing at the line when Andrew Hore booted through and caught Filo Paulo, the Blues' unlikely last line of defence, on the line. The Highlanders attacked, charging from a five-metre scrum. A penalty brought the Blues relief but back came the Highlanders, exchanging a penalty for a five-metre scrum before Chris Noakes goaled to level the scores.

 

The Blues went through phases but Hore won a turnover and Tamati Ellison hoofed ahead and Ben Smith footed on to the Blues' line where Hadleigh Parkes saved but in the ensuing melee Ellison scored. 8-3 after 25 minutes.  Sven minutes later Anscombe made it 8-6.

 

Kurt Baker cut in as the Highlanders went right and then swerved out again before, as Anscombe clung to his shirt-tails,  playing inside to Hosea Gear who scored. 15-6 after 35 minutes, the half-time score.

 

At half-time Pat Lam, the Blues coach, expressed his concern that the Blues were kicking too much. It seems that they were unconcerned at his concern for immediately they kicked downfield and  lethal Ben Smith counterattacked, skating from just inside his own half to well inside the Blues' 22 where he gave inside to Gear who scored again. 20-6 and the half was not a minute old.

 

The Blues then proceeded to kick directly into touch from outside their 22 and then kicked a penalty dead. Lam was not wrong.

 

The Blues now started bringing on the heavies, first Ali Williams, then Ma'a Nonu and eventually Piri Weepu. Nonu's first action was a break and in fact he was from then on far and away the most effective back on the field.

 

But it was Phil Burleigh of the Highlanders who set up the next (ridiculous) score. He chipped ahead and the ball rolled out near the Blues' line, creating a five-metre line-out. James Parsons threw deep for Luke Braid who would come from the goal-line to get the ball, but Thomson intervened. He caught the ball in front of Braid and simply scored the try – the bonus-point try. 27-6 after 58 minutes.

 

The rest of the half belonged to the Blues who forced the Highlanders to scramble on defence as if they were the losing team,.

 

Nonu broke and Alby Mathewson was close. Burleigh smothered Mathewson on the line and was sent to the sin bin. The Blues were on the attack. Nonu broke again and the Blues bashed till eventually prop Tevita Mailau bashed over. Anscombe converted from touch. 27-13 with 12 minutes to play.

 

Again the Blues attacked. Williams tapped a penalty and they bashed but Aaron Smith held up Weepu over the line. They attacked again from the five-metre scrum till Tony Woodcock went over low and hard in the left corner. 27-20 with just on two minutes to play, just time for the Highlanders to play keep-ball till time was up.

 

Man of the Match: Adam Thomson for another all-round performance from line-outs to tackling.

 

 

Tries: Mailau, Woodcock

Cons: Anscombe, Munro

Pens: Anscombe 2

 

Tries: Ellison, Gear 2, Thomson

Cons: Noakes 2

Pen: Noakes

 

Yellow card: Phil Burleigh (61st minute – killing the ball on his own tryline)

 

 

Blues: 15 Hadleigh Parkes, 14 David Raikuna, 13 Francis Saili, 12 Michael Hobbs, 11 Sherwin Stowers, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Luke Braid (captain), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Tevita Mailau, 2 James Parsons, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Angus Ta'avao, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Daniel Braid, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Ma'a Nonu, 22 Lachie Munro.

 

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Kurt Baker, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Chris Noakes, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Nick Crosswell, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Hoani MacDonald, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ma'afu Fia, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (captain).

Replacements: 16 Jason Rutledge, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Josh Bekhuis, 19 Scott Fuglistaller, 20 Aaron Smith, 21 Mike Delany, 22 Kenny Lynn.

 

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Nick Briant (New Zealand), Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

TMO: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)