Highlanders steal victory with late try

Mitch Hunt scores for the Highlanders during their win over the Chiefs in Hamilton tonight. Photo...
Mitch Hunt scores for the Highlanders during their win over the Chiefs in Hamilton tonight. Photo: Getty Images
As far as comebacks go, they do not get much better.

Sio Tomkinson scored on the final play of the game to give the Highlanders a 33-31 victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton tonight.

 

 

The Highlanders trailed 31-7 early in the second half and had faced a 24-0 deficit after 21 minutes after an early Chiefs onslaught.

 

The home side was completely dominant, capitalising on the Highlanders' mistakes and depriving the visitors of possession.

 

But the Highlanders kept plugging away.

 

Aaron Smith scored a brilliant long-range try to start the comeback with just over half an hour to go.

 

Mitch Hunt followed up with another one after being put into space by Michael Collins.

 

From there it looked as though the Chiefs were going to hold on.

 

But Jona Nareki showed his speed and nose for the line with five minutes to go, running 40m to make it 31-26.

 

Again the Chiefs seemed to do enough - Lachlan Boshier came up with two turnovers in the final minutes as the Highlanders mounted attacks.

 

But a penalty from their last lineout gave the Highlanders the chance to kick to the corner.

 

From there they set a maul, before Aaron Smith sniped to draw the defence and hit Tomkinson, who hit a gap and scored next to the posts, allowing Hunt to kick the winning conversion.

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