They started and finished well and, as usual, showed no lack of heart before the Chiefs claimed a 26-23 win at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
After their morale-boosting win over the Crusaders in round one, this might be seen as a minor setback for the Highlanders.
But they were brave and they tried things and they came roaring home with two late tries.
If they had made more of a couple of chances, and a touch of luck ran their way, they could have beaten a much stronger team and really put Super Rugby on notice.
The Highlanders had trailed by seven points at halftime but Cameron Millar quickly cut that to one with a pair of penalties.
They looked set to move ahead when they built a nice attack, but it all came tumbling down.
Folau Fakatava lost the ball, and giant Chiefs lock Josh Lord galloped 60m and toyed with the defence with the ball in one hand a la Colin Meads.
Highlanders winger Jona Nareki was then pinged for an illegal attempt to win a turnover and sent to cool off for 10 minutes.
Here came a major test of the Highlanders’ credentials under immense pressure.
The Chiefs turned down an easy three points in favour of a lineout, and when hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho went charging at the line from 10m, a try seemed certain.
Adam Lennox, the pint-sized halfback who had just replace Fakatava, put his body on the line in a remarkable try-saving tackle.
The Highlanders hustled, scrambled and survived another close call when a Kyren Taumoefolau chip took a wicked bounce but the following-up Simon Parker could not cleanly ground the ball.
Survival mode was instantly followed by sigh mode.
As soon as Nareki returned, the Chiefs won another attacking lineout and Taukei’aho got his second try as a back runner.
Chiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier, arguably the best on field, added an insurance try and that appeared to be game over.
Caleb Tangitau at least left the crowd with another highlight as he swooped on a loose ball and scorched to the line for his second try of the season, but Reesjan Pasitoa missed a conversion that was desperately needed.
Reserve flanker Veveni Lasaqa scored in the final minute – the Chiefs were down to 14 with prop Reuben O’Neill in the bin - to secure a bonus point.
The Highlanders mostly matched a top-shelf team for 60 minutes.
If they can add the subsequent 20, bring some more attacking execution, and get Tangitau the ball as much as possible, they are clearly going to be more than just nuisance value this season.
Some Highlanders fans had barely taken their seats when their team made a cracking – and appropriate – start to the game.
Popular winger Nareki had led his team-mates out for his 50th appearance for the club and he marked the occasion with a try after just three minutes.
A Millar special from wide out made it 7-0 and gave the Highlanders some nice momentum.
It did not last long.
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens soon had to scoot back to save a try from a Taumoefolau chip and chase.
The Chiefs returned to level the scores with a boring but effective try to Taukei’aho from a lineout maul.
Mostly, the middle stages of the half went nowhere, though Tangitau peeled off one 30m run that raised the noise level in the packed Zoo, and the Chiefs threatened on a couple of counter-attacks.
When the next score came, it was either something special or blatant cheating.
Nareki, whose kicking all half was outstanding, put one on the boot and the Highlanders nabbed a turnover.
Millar fired in a cross kick that fell just out of reach of the diving Sean Withy, leading to a Chiefs goal-line drop-out.
Quinn Tupaea took it quickly, regathered and handed to Leroy Carter, and with some of the Highlanders falling asleep, veteran lock Mitch Dunshea was left trying to get Carter – and there was only going to be one winner of that race.
It was a remarkable 100m try but there seemed a fair indication on first glance that the Chiefs had illegally punted the drop-out.
One last promising Highlanders attack of the half fell apart when the otherwise excellent TK Howden spilled an easy pass, but Fakatava saved any further scoring with a booming tackle when the Chiefs were hot on attack after another lineout maul.
The game was preceded by a moment’s silence to mark the death of Highlanders prop Angus Ta’avao’s young son, Leo.
The Highlanders now head to Brisbane to play the Reds next Friday night.
Super Rugby
The scores
Chiefs 26
Samisoni Taukei’aho 2, Leroy Carter, Kaylum Boshier tries; Josh Jacomb 3 con
Highlanders 23
Jona Nareki, Caleb Tangitau, Veveni Lasaqa tries; Cameron Millar con, 2 pen
Halftime: Chiefs 14-7.
Crowd: 15,476.
