After leaking two early tries, one to Speight and the other to Smith, the Highlanders were somehow still in the game at half-time at 17 - 9. The score could have - and most definitely in my opinion should have - been 17 - 14/16.
Just before the half-time hooter, Hosea Gear showed his class once again to spin in and out of a couple of tackles, turn around while on the ground and reach for the line. He seemed confident and so did the rest of the team as they marched back towards the half way mark.
The TMO didn't see it their way, claiming Gear had knocked the ball on in the in goal. This decision was a game changer.
Had the Highlanders been awarded the try, and had young Hayden Parker (who was outstanding in his run-on debut) kicked the conversion, the score would have been 17 - 16. The 'Landers would have gone into the shed with their heads held high, no doubt feeling confident of an upset.
Clearly this was not what happened. The Highlanders still may have had a little bit of confidence in their efforts, but when they came back out it didn't look that way. It certainly didn't help that their poor handling and Joseph Tomane's quick feet combined to add to the Brumbies' total not long after play resumed.
The 'Landers managed to finish the game strong, but they are still struggling to play for the whole 80 minutes.
There have been a few calling for Jamie Joseph's "head" in recent weeks. I don't believe this is the answer. Sacking the coach, in my opinion, is the club's easy way to admit defeat, writing off the current season in the hope the club will rebuild and come out stronger.
We see it all too often in the NRL. A team will lose three or four in a row and the coach is instantly on the chopping block - it's odd.
While the coaches have to take some of the stick for losing, I think more of the blame needs to be placed on the players.
Having said that, the Highlanders haven't been playing that bad. Sure they need to pick their passes and look to hang on to the ball, secure the ruck blah blah, but being a New Zealand conference team they want and like to play proper rugby too.
The task doesn't get any easier this week for the Highlanders as they are set to take on the Crusaders. For me that means another bet with a friend's dad - in the last few seasons I have prospered from it.
This weekend I am not so sure though. Probability says they have to win at some stage, so maybe this weekend will be mine - and the Highlanders.
