March 10 (Reuters) – The Otago Highlanders edged the New
South Wales Waratahs 18-17 in an intense and bruising Super
Rugby encounter in Dunedin on Saturday to remain the only team
with a 100 percent record in the New Zealand conference.
Playing their second successive match at their new enclosed
stadium, the Highlanders made it three wins from three this
season with a typically physical performance and tries either
side of halftime from scrumhalf Aaron Smith and John Hardie.
The Waratahs led for much of the game, largely through
Daniel Halangahu’s kicking, and could have nicked a victory at
the end but their last possession ended with a turnover and the
Highlanders were able to scramble the ball messily into touch.
“Our ball security let us down today but we snuck away for a
win and it was bloody great,” said Highlanders skipper Jamie
Mackintosh.
Halangahu’s first two penalties gave the visitors the early
lead against the run of play but in the 16th minute Highlanders
scrumhalf Smith started a move with a tap penalty and finished
it with a try under the posts after a rampaging run from flyhalf
Lima Sopoaga.
The Highlanders failed to pull away, however, and
Halangahu’s third penalty gave them a 9-5 lead which Colin
Slade, who had moved to flyhalf when Sopoaga went off injured,
reduced to 9-8 at the half with his first three-pointer.
Flanker Pat McCutcheon scored the Waratahs’ only try soon
after halftime when he charged down a Slade kick but he
sustained a serious ankle injury in Buxton Popoali’i’s
despairing tackle and his evening was over.
After McCutcheon was taken off the pitch on a stretcher, the
Highlanders went straight back on the attack and the pressure
finally told in the 48th minute when flanker Hardie strolled
over in the corner.
All Black Slade converted a difficult kick from the
touchline to add the extra points and the Highlanders were in
front for the first time in the game at 15-14.
Continued…
