VIDEO: Chiefs' first-half blitzkrieg too much for Highlanders

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Chiefs put down a big marker in Suva on Saturday, beating the Highlanders in a 10-try thriller.

Racing into a 42-nil half-time lead, the Chiefs hung on in the second 40 for a 45-22 win that sees them overtake the Highlanders on the clustered New Zealand conference standings.

“That was a classic encounter of how to play with the wind,” a relieved Chiefs captain Sam Cane said having chosen correctly at the toss.

“We got it spot on in the first half and the ‘Landers played pretty sharp with it in the second half so we feel we were lucky we got enough in the first half to hold us in.”

Highlanders skipper Ben Smith took satisfaction from the way his side rallied in the second spell “but we gave them too much head start in that first half and we’ve got to be better than that”.

The win moved the Chiefs past the Highlanders on the ladder and left the Otago club wondering why, having won all six games they have played in Dunedin this year, they chose to take this home match to Suva.

In an extra-ordinary first half, the Chiefs not only had almost 70 percent of the possession and territory, but the Highlanders slipped 26 tackles – a tackle success rate of just on 70 percent, which is not acceptable at this level.

While the Highlanders had the better of the second half, winning it 22-3, they were just not as clinical as their opponents and their scoring rate suffered as a result.

With a dominant pack the Chiefs simply blew the Highlanders away in the opening half.

The Chiefs, playing with a strong wind at their backs, raced into a 21-0 lead after just 15 minutes – in one of the most impressive starts to a match all season.

The blitzkrieg continued at a point per minute, as the Highlanders began to resemble a ‘dear in the headlights’ – unable to get a foothold in the game.

The two teams’ fortunes could not have been more contrasting in the opening half-hour.

Every bounce sat up perfectly for the Chiefs, every pass stuck. The Highlanders found the bounces awkward, the passes went behind players or over the top and kicks didn’t find touch.

The penalty count was also heavily skewed against the Highlanders, as their discipline let them down – with No.8 Luke Whitelock yellow-carded for a cynical foul just past the half-hour mark.

The half-time score, 42-0, reflected the Chiefs’ dominance in the first half.

The Highlanders, now with the wind at their backs, finally opened their account five minutes into the second half. They kept working and Teihorangi Walden, who scored the first, went over again in the 52nd minute.

Suddenly – at 12-42 – there was some believe, faint hope that a comeback was on the cards.

The third try came just as the game moved into the final quarter, Aki Seiuli edging the Highlanders ever closer. However, Lima Sopoaga – unlike Damian McKenzie in the first half – struggled to find the target.

Eventually the Highlanders’ momentum – and the comeback – was halted by a Damien McKenzie penalty in the 71st minute.

Chiefs lock Michael Allardice was yellow carded in the 74th minute, but by then the Highlanders had run out of time to make up the remaining 28 points.

Shannon Frizell scored a late consolation try to deny the Chiefs a try-scoring bonus point.

Man of the match: Damian McKenzie was pulling the strings in masterly fashion in the first half. Liam Messam also featured prominently in a very impressive start by the Chiefs, as he set the tone for a dominant performance – which is why he wins our award.

The scorers:

For the Highlanders:
Tries: Walden 2, Seiuli, Frizell
Con: Sopoaga

For the Chiefs:
Tries: Alaimalo, Pulu 2, Tu’inukuafe, Jacobson, Wainui
Cons: McKenzie 6
Pen: McKenzie

Yellow cards: Luke Whitelock (Highlanders, 34 – cynical foul, deliberately knocking the ball down), Michael Allardice (Chiefs, 74 – repeated infringements,

You may want to listen to this:

https://soundcloud.com/rugby365/podcast-when-players-confronted-the-bok-coach

Teams:

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon (co-captain), 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Alex Ainley, 20 Shannon Frizell, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Richard Buckman.

Chiefs: 15 Solomon Alaimalo, 14 Toni Pulu, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Charlie Ngatai (co-captain), 11 Sean Wainui, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Liam Messam, 7 Sam Cane (co-captain), 6 Luke Jacobson, 5 Tyler Ardron, 4 Michael Allardice, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Liam Polwart, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Sam Prattley, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Jesse Parete, 20 Mitch Karpik, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Marty McKenzie, 23 Shaun Stevenson.

Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jamie Nutbrown (New Zealand), James Doleman (New Zealand)
TMO: Shane McDermott (New Zealand)