For the third year in a row, the Highlanders have lost their first game of the year.
The Chiefs triumphed 24-15 over the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin last night after leading 14-9 at the break.
It was a typical first-up game — plenty of endeavour and thrust but there was more rust on display than in a 1975 Hillman Hunter.
The Highlanders had enough ball to win the game twice over.
It may have drowned in ball but it was lacking in accuracy and that, in the end, cost the southerners the game.
There were some nice runs, especially from wingers Waisake Naholo and Tevita Li, but they mostly came to nothing as an error would occur.
That has to be expected — this is the opening game of the season — and the side showed enough that it is definitely not time to get the white flags out yet.
In fact, with a slice more luck and better execution the home team would have come away a winner.
The Chiefs offered little and it would be fair to say the visiting side introduced itself to the offside line early and never ventured far from it.
Its defence won the game as the men in white scrambled well and cut down any overlaps. It was also rugged in the breakdown and cleaned out extremely well.
The Highlanders tired as the game went on and once Aaron Cruden slotted a penalty with just over 10 minutes left to give his side a nine-point advantage, the mountain for the Highlanders was too steep to climb.
The best for the home team was Li and Naholo, while up front No8 Liam Squire was busy before leaving the field in the second half with a shoulder injury.
Hooker Liam Coltman worked hard as did flanker James Lentjes.
It was a game in which the Chiefs scored all three tries and none of them would get into a highlights reel.
Chiefs winger James Lowe was the Johnny-on-the-spot in the first half, helping himself to two tries in the first quarter.
Neither came from any Chiefs creation, more a case of making the most of a half chance.
Malakai Fekitoa threw a wayward no-look pass and Aaron Smith cleaned up the mess only to throw a pass, directed to Ben Smith, straight into the hands of Lowe.
He sprinted 40m to score under the bar.
The Highlanders had looked lively in the opening quarter but inaccuracies cost them.
Just before the 20-minute mark, Lowe was the thief in the night.
He robbed the ball from Naholo as the big Fijian tried to break a tackle and Lowe scampered 20m to score.
Hooker Hika Elliot scored the other try for the Chiefs from a lineout move six minutes into the second half.
The Highlanders had more than 65% of the ball in the first half but could not find the tryline, its lot coming from three Lima Sopoaga penalties.