Highlanders prop David Te Moana screams in anguish after
dropping the ball in the tackle while Highlanders fullback
Ben Smith looks on during a pre-season Super 15 match in
Oamaru yesterday.
The Crusaders will be contenders this season - there is
no doubt about that - but the Highlanders showed a hint of
pretender in their performance in Oamaru last night.
And most importantly for the southern franchise, no new
injury headaches materialised after the game.
The red-and-black franchise ran out a comfortable 40-21
winner in the end, after the game was locked up 14-14 at the
break.
The Crusaders had the majority of possession and territory in
the second half and eventually pulled away as it managed to
get past a tiring Highlanders defence.
Watching Highlanders lock Joe Tuineau feed the ball to
halfback Aaron Smith is part of the 4000-strong crowd at
Whitestone Contracting Stadium.
The Highlanders looked good when they had the ball but
just could not find a way back into the game as the second half
started to resemble Grand Central Station with players coming
and going.
There were a few too many errors from the Highlanders at
times - the lost lineout, spilt ball and poor kick chase -
and that is going to be the difference between success and
failure this season.
It could be excused though for this was a traditional
pre-season match - plenty of cross field running, balls not
quite going where they were intended and some wayward
kicking.
Best for the Highlanders was loose forward Adam Thomson who
played a full game on the blindside flank. He also had the
captaincy after Nick Crosswell cried off with a calf injury
before the match.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph keeps a close eye on
proceedings. Photos by Peter McIntosh.
Thomson was all over the paddock, nabbing the odd
turnover and looked to find the gaps on attack.
Kade Poki looked dangerous on the left wing while Robbie
Robinson did little wrong in the No 10 jersey.
The Highlanders scrum was under pressure throughout the game,
while in the lineout it failed to get clean ball at times.
Hooker Jason Rutledge ran himself hard and prop Chris King
was lively around the paddock in the second half.
Both sides had a reasonably tight defence with the
Highlanders' two tries in the first half coming from long
range.
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