Reds repel Highlanders fightback

How do you explain it? What was said at half-time? What was drunk at half-time? Did they lose faith? Whatever was said or drunk it did not energise the Reds. Their fade brought them to the brink of defeat and it was more Highlander error that gave them their one-point win than what they did in the last half an hour of the match.

There are 18 teams in Super Rugby. The Highlanders were in second place, the winless Reds in 17th place. 2 vs 17. Even if it was on 17's home ground you would expect a comfortable win for 2 who were also the reigning champions, and yet with 30 minutes to play, the team that had thrilled and sparkled in the first half lost all energy and colour, and in the end a case could be made that they were lucky to scrape the win. After all the Highlanders, who scored three tries in the second half, had another two – deservedly – cancelled, the first because the "scorer" was offside 50 metres back, the second because of a neck roll earlier on. They have only themselves to blame.

But what a first half for the Reds!  They were sharper, more enthusiastic than ever before in 2016. They looked like winners.

Their first try started when Liam Sopoaga kicked a grubber into a Red foot and Liam Gill hacked the ball  down into Highlander territory. Then Eto Nabuli just put a foot on the touchline as he made speedy progress down the left. From the line-out Aaron Smith kicked a box kick which Nabuli caught near touch and immediately flung infield to Karmichael Hunt who ran, as he did often and to great effect, in the half. Hunt gave to Samu Kerevi who went on a mazy run and eventually passed to Gill who scored in the right corner. 5-0 after 4 minutes and the sign of things to come as especially Kerevi and Gill provided opportunities for their side.

When Gill was penalised at a tackle Sopoaga goaled. 5-3 after 7 minutes, and it could have been still better for the Highlanders but Rob Thompson knocked on with a short run to the line and nobody in front of him.

The second try had an unpromising start. Jake McIntyre kicked a high kick inside his 10-metre line that went high and parallel to the 10-metre dashes out to the left touchline, giving an impression of impending disaster. But Kerevi caught it and gave to Nabuli who beat two Highlanders  and gave to Nick Frisby who raced away for a try at the posts. 12-3 after 16 minutes.

When Nabuli was penalised for an air tackle on Sopoaga, the Highlanders' flyhalf made it 12-6 after 22 minutes.

The Reds played several phases without progress and so McIntyre stood back and dropped goal. 15-6 after 23 minutes.

Then came the try of the match. The Reds dropped the ball on the Highlanders 10-metre line and the Highlanders footed it downfield where Hunt managed to get the ball just outside his 22, and then he started running. On his 10-metre line he gave to Ben Matijow who gave to Gill. Gill was tackled on the Highlander 10-metre line. They went left and McIntyre passed but Luke Whitelock of the Highlanders knocked the ball down. Nabuli got it and passed it to Kerevi who then racked 40 metres or more down the left swerving inside Matt Faddes and going over for a splendid try. 22-6, which was the half-time score and Reds looked like winners.

Then early in the second half came the first Highlanders disappointment.  Patrick Osborne, who had a splendid match, near the half-way line, footed downfield. Christie chased and grabbed the ball to "score", but the TMO's advice was that he had been ahead of Osborne when he kicked. The try for the Highlanders became a penalty for the Reds.

When Faddes was penalised, McIntyre goaled. 25-6 after 45 minutes.

The Highlanders won a Reds line-out and went right. The Reds were penalised, Smith tapped and Sopoaga "scored". But on the TMO's advice a parenthetical incident of foul play was examined and it was found that Joe Wheeled had rolled Andrew Ready by his neck at a breakdown. Again the try for the Highlanders became a penalty for the Reds.

McIntyre his second penalty to make it 38-6 after 50 minutes.

Two penalties gave the Highlanders two five-metre line-outs. From the second one Liam Squire peeled around the front and gave to Smith who scored in the left corner. Sopoaga converted from touch. 28-13 with 20 minutes to play.

Another penalty, another line-out and the Highlanders were bashing at the line again. Malakai Fekitoa stretched and arm and scored under the posts. The conversion was quick and it was 28-20 with 12 minutes to play.

The Reds were left to perform menial activities, like tackling.

McIntyre off with severe cramp and Sam Greene was one.

The Reds had a line-out in the Highlanders' 22 and went right but Green sent a horrible pass to his right. Fekitoa batted the ball on to Sopoaga, 17 metres from his goal-line. The flyhalf set out on an 83-metre race down the touchline, his speed just enough to keep Kerevi away. Again Sopoaga converted from touch. 28-27 with eight exciting minutes to play.

The Reds held out as possession kept changing hands. But Frisby got the ball and kicked it out. 17 had its very fist win of the 2016 season.

Man of the Match: If you gave it on just one half's play your choice would be between Samu Kerevi and Liam Gill but we are going to give it to a player for two halves of play and our choice is Lima Sopoaga, so skilled, so clever, so efficient.

Scorers:

For the Reds:

Tries: Gill, Frisby, Kerevi

Cons: McIntyre 2

Pens: McIntyre 2

DG: McIntyre

For Highlanders:

Tries: Smith, Fekitoa, Sopoaga

Cons: Sopoaga 3

Pens: Sopoaga 2

Teams:

Reds: 15 Karmichael Hunt, 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Anthony Fainga'a, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Nick Frisby, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Andrew Ready, 1 James Slipper (captain).

Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 Sef Fa'agase, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Ben Matwijow, 20 Curtis Browning, 21 Scott Gale, 22 Sam Greene, 23 Ayumu Goromaru.

Highlanders: 15 Matt Faddes, 14 Jack Wilson, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Rob Thompson, 11 Pat Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Shane Christie (Captain), 6 Luke Whitelock, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Mark Reddish, 3 Siosiua Halanukonuka, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.

Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Ross Geldenhuys, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Tom Franklin, 20 Dan Pryor, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Jason Emery.

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Jordan Way (Australia)

TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)