Highlanders leave it late

With just over 10 minutes remaining in this Super Rugby encounter in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, the Kings would have thought they were in with a shout - trailing just 18-20.

Then the Highlanders unleashed their A-game on them and the Kings spent more time under their posts and restarting the game than actually playing.

The defending champions started the match sixth in the combined Australasia standings and only the leading five teams, - including the two conference winners - secure quarterfinals places.

However, the triumph over the Kings moved the Dunedin-based outfit into the top five, four points above close challengers the Waratahs of Australia.

Highlanders complete their regular season league schedule with an away game against the Jaguares of Argentina and a home match against New Zealand conference leaders the Chiefs.

It was the 11th loss in 13 matches for the Kings, who prop up the Africa Two standings - with only nine points from a possible 65.

The visiting Highlanders were hard pressed in a tightly contested first-half.

The home side had an opportunity to take an early lead, but flyhalf Elgar Watts pushed it wide of the upright.

The Highlanders picked up their first points through flyhalf Lima Sopoaga, after enjoying most the territory in the opening quarter.

Ten minutes later the visitors penetrated the home side's defence, as fullback Matt Faddes scored their first try, Sopoaga converted to give them a 10-0 lead.

Watts kicked a 25-minute penalty to get the home side on the board, trailing 3-10.

The Kings did most of the attacking play towards the end of the first half and were rewarded with a try of their own, when left wing Wandile Mjekevu sliced through the Highlanders' defence.

Watts missed the conversion as the Kings trailed 8-10 at the break.

The visitors opened the second half with two more tries, with Faddes crossing the whitewash for a second time, while replacement flank Dan Pryor also went over.

Sopoaga missed both conversions as the Highlanders extended their lead to 8-20.

Replacement flyhalf Louis Fouche kicked a 47-minute penalty to edge closer to the Highlanders' score, 11-20.

After an entertaining passage of play, the Kings were rewarded with a try from the captain Steven Sykes, after interplay between backs and forwards.

Fouche added the extras to trail by two, 18-20 - after 64 minutes.

It stayed like that till the 69th minute, before the visitors cut loose and finished the game with four unanswered tries - by Jack Wilson, Patrick Osborne, Faddes (completing his hat-trick) and Aki Seiuli.

"We struggled during the first half and were instructed at half-time to play for territory and to retain possession," said Highlanders hooker Ash Dixon.

"It was not as easy a win as the scoreline suggests. The Kings played with a lot of fortitude and pushed us hard until the closing stages."

France-bound Kings skipper and lock Steven Sykes said: "We conceded 28 points in the final 10 minutes so something went horribly wrong and I blame a lack of attitude.

"We have a young team that is keen to learn, but the players sometimes doubt themselves when things start to go wrong."

Man of the match: Kings captain Steven Sykes got a try to mark his last game in Port Elizabeth, before heading to France in a few weeks. Matt Faddes scored a hat-trick, Patrick Osborne made a bigger impact after coming on late in the second half. Shane Christie, before his injury, was impressive and Ash Dixon was a bundle of energy. However, it was the Highlanders' All Black flyhalf Lima Sopoaga who pulled the string - even when the going was tough - and produced the key plays - winning our award.

The scorers:

For the Southern Kings

Tries: Mjekevu, Sykes

Con: Fouche

Pens: Watts, Fouche

For the Highlanders:

Tries: Faddes 3, Pryor, Wilson, Osborne, Seiuli

Cons: Sopoaga 4, Smith

Pen: Sopoaga

Yellow card: Shane Gates (Southern Kings, 17 - foul play, tip tackle)

Teams:

Southern Kings: 15 Malcolm Jaer, 14 Lukhanyo Am, 13 Stefan Watermeyer, 12 Shane Gates, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Ntando Kebe, 8 Aidon Davis, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Cyril-John Velleman, 5 JC Astle, 4 Steven Sykes (captain), 3 Tom Botha, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Schalk Ferreira.

Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Sithembiso Sithole, 18 Justin Ackerman, 19 Schalk Oelofse, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21 Kevin Luiters, 22 Louis Fouche, 23 Luzuko Vulindlu.

Highlanders: 15 Matt Faddes, 14 Jack Wilson, 13 Jason Emery, 12 Rob Thompson, 11 Ryan Tongia, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Te Aihe Toma, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Shane Christie (captain), 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Mark Reddish, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.

Replacements: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Siosuia Halanukonuka, 19 Liam Squire, 20 Dan Pryor, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Fletcher Smith, 23 Patrick Osborne.

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa), Rodney Boneparte (South Africa)

TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)