The Highlanders provided a nice pick-me-up for their coach with an entertaining 39-31 win over the Western Force at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.
It was a fine way to console the revered and respected Jamie Joseph three days after learning his application to coach the All Blacks had been unsuccessful.
It was also a nice comeback after two straight losses, the most recent a shellacking in muggy Brisbane.
And, for those who had to sit through the equivalent fixture two years ago, it nearly wiped the memories of that ghastly game in which these teams combined for 13 points and three times as many errors.
Both sides scored five tries, so the crowd got their money’s worth.
Centre Jonah Lowe and winger Caleb Tangitau each grabbed doubles for the Highlanders, while cult hero Timoci Tavatavanawai again delivered some highlight-reel action.
Ethan de Groot and Veveni Lasaqa were the star men in the pack.
The first half lacked long periods of quality but it did feature a couple of entertaining Highlanders tries.
The first came after some back and forth between the sides then a kick that took a bounce you could generously describe as unpredictable.
Cameron Millar regathered, it went through three other sets of hands, and Lasaqa ran off the last inside shoulder to score.
The second Highlanders try was all about one man.
Lowe continued his fine season with a classic winger’s try – ironic, of course, as he has started four straight games at centre.
He had a lot of work to do on the right flank when he received the ball from Tangitau about 35m from the line, but he showed his finishing skills as he shrugged off one tackler and out-paced another two.
Apart from those two scores, the Highlanders fired a few shots in the first half but none hit the target.
The weird thing was the Force barely fired a shot – seriously, they offered very little with ball in hand – yet they took a 21-17 lead into halftime.
Their first try was a simple pick and go from burly No 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi after a 5m lineout.
The Force trailed 17-7 with four minutes to play in the first half when they closed the gap with another lineout score.
Unbelievably, the Australians then took the lead for the first time with the clock almost at 40.
A Jona Nareki nudge was not particularly effective as it led to a Force counter, a gliding Ben Donaldson run and a chance for second five Hamish Stewart to score the visitors’ third try.
Had they been the best team? Not really, but the Highlanders only had themselves to blame due to a terrible lineout and a few opportunities that went astray.
Amends were made 12 minutes into the second half.
Playing under a penalty advantage, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens slipped through a grubber that sat up delightfully for Lowe to score his second try and regain the lead for the Highlanders.
They extended it when, again under advantage, quick hands led to Tangitau getting the ball 15m out with one defender to beat.
You know what happens next in that situation.
That made it 29-21 to the Highlanders with 20 minutes to play.
Not quite time to relax, especially when the Force nabbed yet another try from a lineout, this time to scoring machine Carlo Tizzano.
Cue a wild finish.
The Force got back in front when former All Blacks winger George Bridge capped a sweeping counter-attack from deep inside the Force’s own half.
But Nareki quickly sparked the Highlanders’ replay as he scorched down the wing with a chip and chase.
Supporting man Adam Lennox was dragged down short but the Highlanders got the advantage, and the quick-thinking Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens dropped in a chip for Tangitau to pouch and score.
Replacement kicker Reesjan Pasitoa iced victory with a penalty.
The Highlanders are off to Christchurch next weekend for the rematch with the Crusaders in the penultimate game at the "temporary" stadium of a dozen names.
Super Rugby
The scores
Highlanders 39
Jonah Lowe 2, Caleb Tangitau 2, Veveni Lasaqa tries; Cameron Millar 3 con, pen, Reesjan Pasitoa con, pen
Force 31
Vaiolini Ekuasi, Jeremy Williams, Hamish Stewart, Carlo Tizzano, George Bridge tries; Ben Donaldson 3 con
Halftime: Force 21-17.
Crowd: 13,570.
