Being my first proper report on a game this could go either way. A bit like the game I just watched (on a Sunday afternoon...thank you MySky!)
The first half was a bit up and down as expected for the first hit out of the season. At my count I had 11 penalties, which all seemed to have come from a very messy breakdown. Chris Noakes who made his Super Rugby debut managed to bang the first one over for the Highlanders inside the first 30 seconds of the game.
Shortly after the kick-off Ben Smith was penalised, soon followed by another Otago penalty which resulted in Cruden smashing one through the sticks.
Noakes was gifted another penalty with which he slotted not a problem. The next scoring play came from a Jimmy Cowan error.
Cowan flicked a no-looker off the back of a ruck to no-one. Hika Elliot claimed the ball, passed to Cruden who sped through the scrambling Highlanders line. Heading towards the touchline Cruden fired a pass back into Kahui. Kahui combined with his "partner in crime" SBW who hit the Otago line hard. Mesanga found the ball in his hands and then crashed over the line for his first Super Rugby try of 2012. Cruden converted with ease. Chiefs up 10 - 6.
Three more scoring plays in the first half. A gifted penalty to the Highlanders which Noakes kicked. And Cruden who had a fine game in the Chiefs uniform kicked two more. 16 - 9 to the Chiefs at the half.
The second half started as the first finished. With a lot on penalties. 14 in total was the count by 50 minutes. Cruden kicked another which gave the Chiefs a 19-9 lead. From then on I didn't see another infringement until the 70th minute.
At the 50min mark someone must have said something to both teams as they threw caution to the wind and started throwing the ball around a lot more, which was nice to see.
The open play "razzle dazzle" seemed to suit the Highlanders more than the Cheifs as it soon resulted in an Aaron Smith try.
Adam Thomson found himself through a half hole with which he managed to pop a beaut pass to a flying Ellison.
Ellison offloaded to Smith who like a true halfback burrowed over for the try. Noakes kept his stats at 100% with the conversion and put the Highlanders within reach at 19 - 16.
The next try didn't take to long to come about with Ellison again starting the raid. Ellison bombed in the midfield. Aaron Smith recovered and chipped. SBW who was busy all night collected the chip and fired a long ball to Cruden. Cruden attempted to clear the kick, but Highlanders stalwart Jason Rutledge charged it down, collected and passed to a member of the Chiefs wider training squad Burleigh to score the try.
With some trademark "scrappy" D in the last 10 minutes the Highlanders managed to come away with a great win 23-19 and get the perfect start to their Super Rugby campaign.
With the scoring breakdown done and dusted, I'd just quickly like to give my thoughts on the top players of the game. For me the standouts in blue were Adam Thomson in the forwards and Tamati Ellison in the backs. Thomson was very very strong at the breakdown as he always is. He also produced a massive effort in the line-out. If he can carry this form throughout the season he will be giving Jerome Kaino a good push for the AB's numbers 6 jumper.
Tamati Ellison was superb. The guy has been back in the country for no more than four days and basically picked up where he left off. Showing us why he was an All Black before he left to Japan. A great all round Man of the Match performance I think.
For the Chiefs Liam Messam and Sonny Bill were the two best. SBW showing why he is one of the most sort after players in the world with a few trademark offloads and even a one on one strip.
The Chiefs team was hit hard with injuries which could prove costly in the next few weeks. We will have to keep an eye on this, as no-one likes to see a player go down...unless it is Quade Cooper.
To finish this first match report/opinion, I am really impressed with the Highlanders' recruitment in the off season. The big players all really stepped up tonight, and with the likes of Colin Slade and Shaun Treeby still to return, the southern men will have a very very classy back line in which they can launch some big attacks with.
Let's hope this first up form can continue deep into the season. The Crusaders should be a good gauge next week.
Karl Tily - I love and live for sport. Though out the course of a year I would be registered or take part in no less than 8 different codes of sport. I, and I am sure a lot of my mates would consider myself to be a very competitive person.
Born in Dunedin I lived there for the first 13 years of my life. I followed the Highlanders and the Otago rugby team religiously and would attend almost every home game with the folks. I am currently living in Wellington, but still consider Dunedin 'home'. I even have the Otago 'O' tattooed on my right shoulder as a part of where I am from!
I still follow the Highlanders quite strongly and always enjoy the games vs the Hurricanes at the stadium. It gives me a good opportunity to dish out some 'stick' to mates. Especially the last couple of years!