Highlanders juggernaut marches on

Highlanders juggernaut marches on

10 Mar 2012

JON CARDINELLI reports on the Highlanders’ forward-driven 18-17 win over the Waratahs on Saturday.

The one-point margin wasn’t reflective of the Highlanders’ dominance up front, and coach Jamie Joseph will lament the fact that they didn’t win this clash by a more comfortable margin. They missed three kicks at goal while two tries was a mediocre return considering they bossed territory and possession for large periods.

What Joseph will be pleased about is their unbeaten record. Despite a slew of injuries before the start of the season, they have gone on to win three matches.

Their forwards have displayed an aggressive yet controlled approach to the breakdown that has meant the difference on all three occasions. Their backs haven’t quite fired and the tactical play and decision-making has been inconsistent, but they have banked the points where it matters: on the Super Rugby log.

They started this game in impressive fashion, playing the game at a high-tempo and stretching what is usually a well-organised Waratahs defence. Lima Sopoaga broke the line before smartly offloading to halfback partner Aaron Smith who did well to finish for the game’s first try.

But credit to the Waratahs, although they were starved of possession they scrapped to stay in the contest. They were guilty of missing a number of first time tackles but generally managed to absorb the pressure when the Highlanders launched a multiphase attack.

Indeed, the Highlanders were often guilty of building an attack from deep in their own half and then losing possession via a handling error or turnover. It was one of the reasons why they went to the break trailing 9-8 instead of enjoying a comfortable lead.

Slade started the game at fullback but moved to No 10 when Sopoaga left the field injured in the first half. He never looked comfortable in the flyhalf channel, and had a kick charged down by Waratahs flanker Pat McCutcheon early in the second stanza.

Unfortunately for the visitors, Daniel Halangahu had a rare mental lapse, pushing the conversion attempt wide. Had he been successful, he would have stretched the Waratahs’ lead to eight points, a commanding advantage in spite of the Highlanders dominance at the tackle point.

The Highlanders grew in confidence as the half progressed, and finally one of their multi-phase movements paid dividends with John Hardie crashing over in the corner. Slade then held his nerve to nail a touchline conversion and hand the hosts the lead at 15-14.

Slade and Halangahu exchanged further penalties before the All Blacks flyhalf was presented with a chance to close out the game. His long-range attempt was wide and short, and allowed the Waratahs to regain possession and launch a counter-attack.

The visitors played themselves into a promising position as the clock wound down, and were controlling possession well before the ball bobbled onto the Highlanders side and was swooped on by captain Jamie Mackintosh. Reserve scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan then made a hash of getting the ball out, but fortunately for the hosts, Tamati Ellison retrieved the wayward kick and ended the game by running into touch.


42 Comments

  • 1.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:34 am

    go Landers

  • 2.captain fantail: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:34 am

    zippy piddy do dah zipiddy day…..the highlanders will ruin the waratahs day.. ;-)

  • 3.Mthokozisi_Big_H_Nozibele: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:37 am

    Thompson and the boys to overwhelm the Tahs.

  • 4.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:41 am

    highlanders don’t respect the breakdown, they deliberately make it gat

  • 5.Tuna: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:42 am

    I’ll pay good money to see some really hard hits on that Tom Carter plonker.

  • 6.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:49 am

    @Transformation(Transformation)-4:

    They’re getting blown for it this game so far though. Tahs have a good record against them too, should be a good game.

  • 7.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:50 am

    oh hello. Good decision to spurn the 3.

  • 8.Mthokozisi_Big_H_Nozibele: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:51 am

    Highlanders Statement: We here to score tries mate…. Good pressure and attitude.

  • 9.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 08:53 am

    How the hell did he miss that – I bet whoever jumped the gun updating keo can’t believe it either ahaha

  • 10.CSI:Rugby: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:01 am

    Great start to this game

  • 11.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:01 am

    This is a whole other ball-game to the last… a clear step-up and Lander’s fans coming out in droves to support their union (about time)…

  • 12.Bushboy: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:01 am

    You can see Brian Lawrence is a poor referee,Why dont they train him properly?

  • 13.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:02 am

    Brycie has now decided he’s okay with the clan’s breakdown shenanigans. Waratahs in all sorts of trouble when the highlanders attack too, can’t cope with the pace

  • 14.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:03 am

    @Tartan(Tartan)-6: yeah bryce has to convince tge whole world again that he knows what is cooking @ the breakdown.

  • 15.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:05 am

    these highlanders are good @ the bd…yho!

  • 16.CSI:Rugby: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:05 am

    Bryce Lawrence is the worst referee since George Ayoub, Paul Honiss, Carl Spannenberg. He just missed a dozen or so knock on just then.

  • 17.CSI:Rugby: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:10 am

    Polota-Nau, job description requires a rugby hooker to throw in the line out straight. Year in, year out, you fail miserably.

  • 18.HongKongSlong: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:21 am

    At the end of the last match when they interviewed Adrian Straus, the interviewer said something along the lines of “we know you can’t say anything bad about the referee, but do you think some decisions went against you….” Why can’t players comment on the referee? He is paid good money to do a job, why can’t the people he directly effects the most have an opinion? Pathetic. The sad thing is there is not one decent referee currently in world rugby, they are all terrible!

  • 19.BWA: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:25 am

    All NZ refs are k@k …. even NZRU admits this – they gave the Ref of the year award to Bryce! thats like giving the Nobel Peace prize to Julius Malema

  • 20.CSI:Rugby: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:29 am

    Only way to solve this dilemma is for SANZA to implement a program that brings in former internationals or domestic players like Glen Jackson into referee school. Guys who know how the game flows.

  • 21.CSI:Rugby: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 09:38 am

    Great individual effort, sad ending. Hope it’s not too serious.

  • 22.Mthokozisi_Big_H_Nozibele: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:01 am

    Collin Slade is slow,

  • 23.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:01 am

    @Mthokozisi_Big_H_Nozibele(Mthokozisi_Big_H_Nozibele)-22:

    Yeah, anyone else is under the posts there :\

  • 24.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:08 am

    @Bushboy(jacquesknotter)-12: Brian Lawrence? Is that like John ******?

  • 25.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:09 am

    John C Hrist?

  • 26.cane: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:13 am

    3 minutes to go. Highlanders penalty……………………………….

    Short.

    Still a one point game………………………………..with the groung clock now turned OFF.

  • 27.Nils: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:17 am

    Nailbitting last seconds. Tahs can sneak it.

    Go Highlanders.

  • 28.Tartan: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:18 am

    haha jimmy cowan with the kick of the year.

  • 29.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:18 am

    Super Rugby is light-years ahead of anything else atm with this level of speed and conditioning!

  • 30.Nils: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:19 am

    Well done Highlanders! :)

    Phew, Cowan almost gifted away a try.

  • 31.cane: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:27 am

    James Haskel, played his 5th game at the new stadium tonight.

    No other person has played more.

    Strange but true.

  • 32.AiDoc: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:28 am

    They are smokin! What are they smoking?

  • 33.Michael: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:29 am

    DAMN! The result stuffed up my week’s picks.

  • 34.cane: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:53 am

    This from AB de Villiers on twitter

    ABdeVilliers17 AB de Villiers
    After supporting the Bulls and all the other SA sides, I just turned into a Highlanders fan too! http://yfrog.com/h2kmrqyj
    14 minutes ago

  • 35.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 10:57 am

    @cane(cane)-34:
    morning cane,how are you keeping bud?

  • 36.Jeez: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 11:06 am

    The kiwis only have one bad team- Hurricanes and the Lions lost against them at home. Ug its going to be hard watching the lions and cheetahs this season, once again.

  • 37.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 11:08 am

    Gatkruip alweer by Cane

  • 38.cane: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 11:37 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-37:

    suck again by cane!!

    Is that the correct translation?

    Dawn………………………………………….I’m shocked.

  • 39.cane: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 11:40 am

    @Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-35:

    Good fernly……………………………………………………………………..have the lice stopped biting?

  • 40.welcome to my life, hugh...: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 14:09 pm

    @Transformation(Transformation)-15:
    yes and no, they do some naughty stuff a lot of the time.
    always a designated player drives forward and through the oppositions side of the ruck impeding players to the best of his abilty for a few seconds on thier ball.
    or still getting away with going ahead of the ball carrier gone to ground and forming the ruck a meter od so ahead of him.

  • 41.paulynz: Reply to this comment
    10 Mar 2012, 23:40 pm

    So funny I was crying!! Jimmy only had to kick the ball out to finish the game and a win to the Highlanders. So what does he do? HE KICKS THE BALL INTO THE HIGHLANDERS CORNER FOR THE WARATAHS BACKS TO RUN ON TO!!! So lucky he didn’t concede a try and the game to the Waratahs!!

  • 42.AiDoc: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2012, 00:18 am

    @Jeez
    The second worst Kiwi team, Bruise, beat the least poor RSA team, BS. Australian conference looker stronger? Apart from the Rabble, Farce, Bumblies and Worried Tarts, the Oz conference is quite good. Lol.

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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