Night of lasts for the Landers

By Adrian Seconi

Timoci Tavatavanawai propels himself over the line to score for the Highlanders. Photo: Getty Images

It was a night of lasts.

Last game.

Last place.

And last match for Sam Gilbert in the Highlanders colours.

He is off to Irish club Connacht at the end of the NPC season.

The Highlanders are off to assess where the season went wrong.

The 41-24 defeat to the Chiefs in Dunedin tonight has left them stranded in last place.

The season could have been a lot different had they been able to reverse a few of those seven games they lost by seven or fewer points.

Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i nabbed a hat-trick in stand-out performance for the visitors, who were blasted out to an 19-0 early lead.

Lock Tupou Vaa’i nabbed a hat-trick for the Chiefs. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Highlanders loosehead Ethan de Groot coughed up an early turnover and the Chiefs probed away four of five minutes until eventually, they found a way around the defence.

It was brilliant too.

Etene Nanai-Seturo gathered in a chip kick and linked up with centre Daniel Rona, who set off for the line but passed back inside to Samipeni Finau to score.

The competition front-runners were back lining up another conversion a few brief minutes later.

Vaa’i barged over and then grabbed a double when he pounced on a mistake and ran in from 45.

It was 19-0 in under quarter of an hour.

Thoughts turned to the Chiefs' 85-7 romp against Moana Pasifika last weekend.

Thoughts turned to how quickly the end of the season could come for the Highlanders.

Highlanders co-captain Ethan de Groot charges forward. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Sixty-five minutes and counting.

But the Highlanders rallied and were rewarded.

They went close when Jonah Lowe made some yards down the right and Veveni Lasaqa put in a grubber.

Damian McKenzie scooped it up but got caught by Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens in the in-goal.

The Highlanders kept the Chiefs pinned in their 22 and de Groot crashed over from a tap kick 5m out.

There was no stopping the big Southlander.

Chiefs tighthead Reuben O’Neill picked up a yellow card moments for an untidy cleanout on Jack Taylor. He made contact with the head.

The Highlanders exploited the advantage. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkins, Tanielu Tele’a and Taniela Filimone combined beautifully down the left.

That created some space on the right and Tavatavanawai powered over to close the gap to five points at halftime.

Chiefs first five-eighth Damian McKenzie passes before being taken down in a tackle by Highlander Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

The home side was caught napping early in the second spell.

Hooker Bradley Slater rumbled free from a maul and passed to halfback Xavier Roe who had a clear run to the line.

The Chiefs threatened to score twice more, but the Highlanders added the next points through the boot of Cameron Millar.

But replacement back Manasa Mataele stretched the lead again with a try out on the left. The Chiefs had wriggled their way into the red zone and floated the ball wide to the unmarked finisher.

Gilbert scored a try to create some late drama.

But Vaa’i collected the ball from a short drop gone wrong to nab a hat trick right on fulltime.

And the Chiefs left with what they came for - four points and with pole position intact ahead of the playoffs.

The win came at a cost. Chiefs midfielder Quinn Tupaea was injured midway through the first half and transported from the field.