Landers sneak in for late win

Landers sneak in for late win

25 Feb 2012

GARETH DUNCAN watched the Highlanders come back from a 16-9 half-time deficit to beat the Chiefs 23-19 in Hamilton.

For the opening 60 minutes, it seemed that the Chiefs were cruising to a winning start to the season. They held the ascendancy for most parts of the game with their superior attack and resilient defence, and led 19-9 early in the second stanza. However, an unfortunate series of injuries for the hosts cost them momentum. Then a late charge from the Highlanders saw the visitors score two tries in quick succession while a solid defensive effort in the dying seconds secured them a great comeback victory.

The Chiefs’ new recruits played a major role in their strong start to the game as they secured a 16-9 lead at the break. Inside centre Sonny Bill Williams was highly influential in the midfield battle, with his offload, strong ball carrying and influence at the breakdowns pressurising the Highlanders into conceding penalties in kickable positions. Flyhalf Aaron Cruden showed great accuracy from the tee, slotting three penalties from around the park.

The hosts scored their try from a smart counter attack, after a mistake from scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan. The Highlanders No 9 threw a no-look pass that didn’t go to hand in centre field, and the Chiefs pounced. After several offloads and phases, wing Leila Masaga eventually crashed over for the opening try of the match. The Highlanders were seven points adrift at half-time as flyhalf Chris Noakes slotted three penalties.

Cruden continued his flawless kicking performance with an early three-pointer, but that proved to be the Chiefs’ last points of the match.

Their downfall started when Masaga, scrumhalf Brendon Leonard and No 8 Fritz Lee limped off with injury. This had a negative effect, which saw momentum swing into the Highlanders’ favour.

First, reserve scrumhalf Aaron Smith capitalised on good continuity on attack before reserve hooker Jason Rutledge’s charge down and offload put inside centre Phil Burleigh through in the corner. Noakes added both conversions to force a four-point deficit.

The Chiefs had the opportunity to claim a match-winning try at death, but they couldn’t break the Highlanders’ strong guard as the latter held on for the win.


35 Comments

  • 1.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:31 am

    keen to see how the Hask Cam handles his first foray into Super rugby!

  • 2.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:40 am

    sbw still a threat…damn!

  • 3.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:40 am

    Barely 2 minutes into the game, I suddenly realise that I don’t have the appetite to sit through 80 minutes of Kiwi rugby between two meaningless teams, listening to the self important braying of their commentators.

  • 4.Peter Mkata: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:45 am

    @Tacitus(Deucalion)-3:

    A team with potentially the best centre combination in the world? Meaningless teams? Are you seeking attention to yourself?
    Talk of sticking head in the sand.

  • 5.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:47 am

    @Peter Mkata(Peter Mkata)-4: with ignorance being bliss, let him be ga_y.

  • 6.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:48 am

    that buxton popoali’i has a STEP of note…

  • 7.Peter Mkata: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:51 am

    Good try. Great ball rentention in tackle situation by Chiefs.

  • 8.Peter Mkata: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:53 am

    @Transformation(Transformation)-5:

    William Shakespear will be proud of that. ….

    Hope you are well.

  • 9.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 08:59 am

    I have come to realise that the Kiwis play bash it up rugby pretty much the same as we do.

    The only difference is, they swing it down the backline to the wing, who does a little stepdance to the left and right before just bashing it up – with no field position gained from where the scrumhalf picked it up, while we just avoid all that waste of energy and have a flank or nr. 8 just get it straight from the scrumhalf and bash it up in channel 1 or 2.

    In the end, it’s still bashing it up. The Kiwis just like to spin it wide forthe sake of spinning it wide, even if there is nothing on.

    But in the

  • 10.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:00 am

    end, it is still bashing rugby. They just have this obsession with passing the ball down the line, even if it achieves f-all.

  • 11.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:09 am

    Sunni Bin a Chief now?

  • 12.BWA: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:11 am

    Fritz Lee has Malema in his hands!

  • 13.BWA: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:15 am

    I see Osama Bin Ladin only made 8 runs! & Smith only 9!!

  • 14.Delki: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:22 am

    You’re right Tacticus. It achieves NOTHING.
    That’s why NZ teams have won 10 out of 16 Super Rugby titles or 62% in a 3 team competition. SA teams have won 3 titles or 18%.

    62% NZ vs 18%SA. Yeah you’re right, our results are the SAME.

    Similarly NZ teams have won 10 out of 16 Tri Nations titles. But you’re right – nothing achieved and NZ are chokers.

    How many beers have you had tonight BTW?

  • 15.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:33 am

    @Delki(Delki)-14: it’s 09:35 in the morning here :-)

  • 16.Peter Mkata: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:35 am

    @Delki(Delki)-14:

    You must sometimes just ignore some here. What is even sad/bad is that he convinces himself that he is correct.

    It is like saying Ali was as good as Foreman because they knock out their opponents at the end of the day. Bashing it up is as good as swinging the ball – am breathless.

    Just trying to sanitise the boring rugby we play in SA.

  • 17.BWA: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:45 am

    so the “best backline in Super Rugby” has only got 1 try in 60 minutes vs one of the worst teams in super rugby! very exciting …..

  • 18.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:45 am

    the Hask Cam is on :-)

  • 19.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:49 am

    highlanders are making the breakdown gat! the ref is s(hit

  • 20.Guns: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:50 am

    lovely worked try by the Landers! 19-16 game on.

  • 21.Guns: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:51 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-11: Old news Dawnie! ;)

  • 22.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:51 am

    chiefs are the most stupid team in the comp!

    what happened to CLEARING the bloody ball? 20 min in your own 22 & you still run it from there? :cry:

  • 23.Guns: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:55 am

    And another for the Highlanders!

  • 24.BWA: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:55 am

    Chiefs will always be k@k … maybe EP kings should replace them!

  • 25.Guns: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:57 am

    Good kicker this Chris Noakes, Thompson and the Highlanders backs getting their groove on..

  • 26.Delki: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 09:57 am

    @#15 Transformation….haha thanks – even worse……..Tacticus how many beers have you had this MORNING??

  • 27.Guns: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 10:14 am

    Be interesting to see if/when James Haskel cracks the starting lineup..

  • 28.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 10:22 am

    @Guns(Guns)-27: Hask Cam did well to win that last penalty.

  • 29.IAAS: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 10:23 am

    Well batted AB. Great captain’s knock.

    And as for the Chiefs – thanks for nothing.

  • 30.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 10:24 am

    Faf giving the kiwis a fisting.
    :lol:

  • 31.Guns: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 10:41 am

    @Transformation(Transformation)-28:
    Indeed. Be even more interesting to see how Eng fairs against the well oild Welsh Dragons later today..

  • 32.charo: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 10:43 am

    i see tim southee has been shoved firmly back into his box.

    no more aggressive big mouth.

    meek and mild….love it.

    big fish in a small pond….

    until the real guys arrive.

  • 33.Bod: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 11:03 am

    I have gotta go with my matreTac. I have forced myself to watch three of these games so fat and I cant do it anymore…. no mas

    Its just like watching an extended rugby league game….. crash, bash and get nowhere…. game after game after game. Rugby union is dying I am afraid, unless they do something to the rules to open it up and get away from this
    “posession to nowhere” based game

    The lure of the Tokai single track is far more appealing

  • 34.greatest13gerber: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 12:34 pm

    Sonny Bill who??

  • 35.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    25 Feb 2012, 12:48 pm

    Chiefs are full of hot air and bluster, so much so called fire power in their famous back line and no name Highlanders take them apart with old fashioned guts and commitment.

    I had Chiefs to take this and Highlanders turned the tables, though I got the other 4 correct Crusaders Brumbies Bulls and Reds .., only just in each case.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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