Highlanders hold off Blues in Super 15

AUCKLAND (AFP) –

Otago Highlanders’ Tamati Ellison (centre) makes a run during a Super 15 match against the Coastal Sharks on May 5. Ellison scored the first of his side’s four tires to help the Highlanders defeat the Auckland Blues 27-20 in their Super 15 clash at Eden Park.

The Otago Highlanders broke a 10-year jinx as they held off a strongly finishing Auckland Blues to win 27-20 in their Super 15 clash at Eden Park on Saturday.

In 17 years of Super rugby, it was only the Highlanders second taste of success in the Blues fortress, to go with their 20-13 victory in 2002, the last year they made the knock-out rounds.

It also kept them in the top-six this season with only four weeks before the play-offs.

Both sides took bonus points from an encounter with a high error count by both sides and Highlanders captain Jamie Mackintosh said the game swung on tries either side of half time.

“We probably weren’t working hard enough in the first half. The Blues came out desperate, they created a lot of opportunities and were playing really well.

“We were just lucky enough to get that try just before and just after half time and it made a big difference.”

The Blues, who languish near the bottom of the table, defied convention by leaving several All Blacks on the bench, and not surprisingly the Highlanders had built a commanding 27-6 with 20 minutes to go.

But the mood changed when Ali Williams, making his 100th Super appearance, Daniel Braid, Piri Weepu and Ma’a Nonu were introduced to the game.

The lift in determination by the Blues was evident and they were rewarded with two late converted tries to be in with a chance to draw the match.

But when they most needed to score in the dying minutes they were guilty of again losing the ball in a ruck, which allowed the Highlanders to shut out the game.

After Gareth Anscombe and Chris Noakes traded penalties the Highlanders scored the first of their four tries when fullback Ben Smith caught Blues fullback Hadleigh Parkes on the line and Tamati Ellison swooped in for the try.

Hosea Gear scored just before the break when he was on hand to finish a move started by his fellow winger Kurt Baker and he scored again from the restart when the ever-present Smith broke through the Blues defence.

The bonus-point try came from a woeful throw-in by Blues hooker James Parsons which went completely over his lineout to unmarked Highlanders flanker Adam Thomson, who strolled five metres to the line.

But when their reinforcements came on, the Blues began to dominate and were rewarded with late tries to props Tevita Mailau and Tony Woodcock.