Perfect start for Highlanders
The Highlanders maintained their unbeaten start to the Super Rugby season with a 19-17 victory over the Hurricanes.
By Tony Curtis - Follow me on Twitter @SkysportsTC
Last Updated: 17/03/12 9:43am
The Highlanders maintained their unbeaten start to the Super Rugby season with a 19-17 victory over the Hurricanes.
Jamie Joseph's side were made to fight for their fourth win of the campaign, though, with the home side bouncing back from a slow start to take the game to the wire.
But Colin Slade weighed in with 16 points before Chris Noakes came off the bench to land the winning penalty.
For the Hurricanes, Beauden Barrett was on target with four penalties while Cory Jane scored their only try.
The Highlanders had dominated the opening 25 minutes of the encounter with Slade scoring all their points as they raced into a 13-0 lead.
Having got the visitors up and running with a penalty, he was then on target to convert his own try on 15 minutes. Jimmy Cowan's quick-tap had the Hurricanes backpedalling and after a series of drives at the line, Slade crashed over from close range.
Slade added a second penalty and it seemed if the Otago franchise were well on their way to a comprehensive win.
Storming
However the Hurricanes had other ideas - and by the break they were 14-13 in front.
Two Barrett penalties had chipped away at the lead before Jane finished brilliantly in the corner with three minutes of the half left. Julian Savea had bounced three men off during a storming run before Barrett's miss ball out wide found Jane for the All Blacks international to dive over.
Barrett missed the conversion but he made no mistake with a penalty just before the break to give the home side the lead for the first time.
The Highlanders, though, came out all guns blazing after the interval and retook the lead through the boot of Slade.
However the Highlanders were guilty of not making the most of the territory and possession.
Kade Poki thought he had scored the second try for the Highlanders but the pass from Tamati Ellison was adjudged to be forward, while Josh Bekhuis knocked on close to the line.
Slade then saw his penalty curl just wide as the Hurricanes clung on.
Buoyed by the let-offs, the Hurricanes regrouped and retook the lead as Barrett slotted over his fourth penalty of the match.
However the Highlanders have built up a winning mentality and Noakes held his nerve to slot over a penalty with six minutes left to clinch the victory.
