Highlanders steal it at the death
The Highlanders scored a controversial 20-17 win over the Chiefs in their Super Rugby Round Four match in Hamilton on Friday.
It was a contentious yellow card a minute from time and another debatable penalty moments later the afforded replacement Marty Banks a shot from 40-odd metres out.
He made no mistakes as the Highlanders got the weekend underway with an upset of the Chiefs - who were joint top of the New Zealand conference before the match.
It was the Chiefs' first loss of the season.
The Highlanders, who led 14-3 at half-time, were also reduced to 14 men early in the second half - which saw the Chiefs awarded two penalties tries from scrums and a 17-14 lead going into the final quarter.
However, two late penalties by Banks - in the 77th and 80th minutes - saw the Highlanders steal the victory.
The Chiefs, early-season pace-setters in this year's Super Rugby competition, dominated possession and territory - but failed to make it count.
Instead, they succumbed to a sucker punch when Sonny Bill Williams infringed on the ruck in the final minute, allowing Banks to kick the winning penalty as the siren sounded.
"It's disappointing to finish the game like that," captain Liam Messam said after a match when his forwards were so commanding they were awarded two penalty ties.
"There were too many errors, basic handling errors and showing them too much pill (ball) and they punished us."
He said the Chiefs had plenty to work on as they gear up for a tough road trip to South Africa.
The result was the Highlanders' second win from three matches, building on a victory over the Reds last week.
However, they were meek in the forwards and will need to improve to make a mark on this year's competition.
They barely touched the ball in the opening stages as the Chiefs ran rings around them, only for handling errors to halt momentum when the Chiefs threatened the tryline.
Instead it was 3-all after 20 minutes, with Chiefs pivot Aaron Cruden squandering the chance to give his team a handy lead when he kicked two penalties wide.
The Highlanders clawed their way back into the game, with centre Malakai Fekitoa besting his All Blacks rival Williams at the breakdown.
But it was another centre, unheralded Highlander Shaun Treeby, who made the first clean break of the match to set up Patrick Osborne for the opening try.
A Lima Sopoaga penalty saw the Highlanders go into half-time up 14-3 against a Chiefs side stunned to be trailing after enjoying 78 percent of territory.
The Chiefs thought they had crossed soon after the restart but Sam Cane's effort was ruled held up.
The Highlanders were reduced to 14 men - when Joe Wheeler was sent to the bin for illegally collapsing a maul - and the Chiefs began to dominate, reaping the rewards in the form of two penalty tries after their scrum demolished the under-powered Highlanders pack.
A Banks penalty levelled the scores at 17-17 against the run of play with three minutes to go.
In a dramatic finale, Chiefs wing James Lowe was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Fekitoa, then Williams conceded a penalty in front of the posts.
Banks showed no nerves as he stepped up to seal the win.
Man of the match: Sonny Bill Williams was more than just entertaining, Liam Messam produced his usual crafting, high workrate and Sam Cane was another who did immense work at the breakdown. Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna - who had one of his most productive games of the season and was particularly destructive in the scrums when the Highlander's discipline reduced them to 14 men. Lima Sopoaga kept the Highlanders in the game with his boot, before being replaced and Marty Banks sealed the win. Malakai Fekitoa was good value as well - as you have come to expect. However, our award goes to Highlanders wing Patrick Osborne, who scored what turned out to be a crucial try with some sublime stepping and kept the Chiefs defence honest throughout the match.
The scorers:
For the Chiefs:
Tries: Penalty tries 2
Cons: Cruden 2
Pen: Cruden
For the Highlanders:
Try: Osborne
Pens: Sopoaga 3, Banks 2
Yellow cards: Joe Wheeler (Highlanders, 46 - professional foul, illegally collapsing the maul), James Lowe (Chiefs, 79 - foul play, illegal tackle)
Teams:
Chiefs: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Hosea Gear, 13 Charlie Ngatai, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Liam Messam (captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Johan Bardoul, 5 Michael Fitzgerald, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Siate Tokolahi, 18 Mitchell Graham, 19 Michael Allardice, 20 Maama Vaipulu, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Andrew Horrell.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu (co-captain), 7 Elliot Dixon, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Mark Reddish, 3 Ma'afu Fia, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Josh Hohneck.
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Brendon Edmonds, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Tom Franklin, 20 Dan Pryor, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Jason Emery.
Referee: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Nick Briant (New Zealand), Shane McDermott (New Zealand)
TMO: Chris Wratt (New Zealand)