The Highlanders have snatched Super Rugby Pacific’s final quarter-final spot and will play the Blues at Eden Park next Saturday despite losing their final regular season match to the Rebels in Melbourne.
After an extraordinary match, won 31-30 by the Rebels after a topsy-turvy second half in which the lead changed hands several times, the Highlanders took eighth place on the table thanks to their losing bonus point.
It meant the Highlanders made the playoffs despite winning only four of their 14 regular season matches.
They overtook the Western Force by virtue of a better points difference after the Perth-based side kept their season alive with a meritorious 27-22 victory over the Hurricanes on Saturday night.
The Highlanders had appeared in control of the match with an 18-14 halftime lead, but the final 30 minutes went off script despite the input of excellent halfback Folau Fakatava, who scored a try and set up another. Loose forward Marino Mikaele-Tu’u was also a constant attacking threat on his return from injury.
In many ways the final half hour summed up the Highlanders’ season – unpredictable and prone to self-sabotage.
Regardless, Tony Brown’s men are alive for another week and will present the Blues with a very different challenge to what the Force would have brought. They may be without James Lentjes, however, after the loose forward left the field in the second half with a shoulder injury.
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Things began to unravel for the visitors once Rebels fullback Nick Jooste beat four defenders from 30m out to score the try of the match to put his side in front after the break.
Vilimoni Koroi’s re-start was kicked into touch on the full – another indication that things weren’t going well for the Highlanders – with Lukas Ripley, a problem for the visitors, juggling a Matt To’omua pass to go over for the try which put Rebels up 26-18 with a quarter to play.
Fakatava’s try after a Mikaele-Tu’u break gave the Highlanders hope again and they re-took the lead with 13 minutes left when wing Fetuli Paea scored after a Fakatava break to put the Highlanders ahead 30-26.
However, their lead was short lived – the Rebels responding via replacement wing Young Tonumaipea. To’omua’s conversion attempt from the sideline hit an upright and the second-five threatened again with an intercept very late on, but the attack broke down.
This was a victory against the odds for the Rebels, who also finished on four wins for their season.
With Peter Umaga-Jensen returning from injury and forming a solid midfield partnership with Josh Timu, and the Highlanders varying their attack nicely early, the home side were up against it from the start.
Wing Rory van Vugt timed his dive to perfection to score in the left corner after a fine draw and pass from Marty Banks and lock Josh Dickson went over from close range for tries which quickly took the Highlanders to 12-0. Although they did dodge a bullet when Jooste was over the line only for the try to be disallowed for a knock-on by halfback James Tuttle.
Dickson’s try signalled the end of that comfortable phase, however, with the Rebels quickly striking back through hooker Jordan Uelese, who went over in a turbo-charged lineout drive for a converted try.
Banks put the Highlanders further ahead with a penalty and the Highlanders appeared to be in cruise mode again, only for halfback Aaron Smith to throw a telegraphed pass that was easily intercepted by the waiting Glen Vaihu for the try that narrowed the gap to 15-14 and would have piqued the interest of Rebels’ and Force fans alike.
Another Banks penalty extended the Highlanders’ advantage to 18-14 and the Rebels had to withstand a concerted attack from the visitors after the halftime siren; a mistake on the tryline letting them off the hook.
The Rebels would have the last laugh, however, although with the Highlanders going through anyway, it will perhaps be the Force who will be feeling like the biggest losers.
Rebels 31 (Jordan Uelese, Glen Vaihu, Nick Jooste, Lukas Ripley, Young Tonumaipea tries; Matt To’omua 3 cons)
Highlanders 30 (Rory van Vugt, Josh Dickson, Folau Fakatava, Fetuli Paea tries; Marty Banks con, 2 pens, Vilimoni Koroi con)
Halftime: Highlanders 18-14
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