Otago Daily Times Online rugby writer Jeff Cheshire looks at some key points from the Highlanders 27-20 loss to the Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium on Friday night.
Poor kicking game
The Highlanders again looked to their kick and chase tactic, but this week did not execute it well. In wet conditions it was something that could have made them dangerous had they been accurate, but in the end it had more to do with their downfall. Their kicks were all over the place, their chase, at times, non-existent. Too often the ball went straight back to a Hurricanes player who had ample time to bring it back and set up a counterattack. That prevented the Highlanders applying pressure through the boot and consequently they often found it hard to get possession in good field position. Even worse was the cardinal sin of kicking out on the full. This happened more than once and was the Hurricanes' source of possession to begin the pressure-filled last 10 minutes. On a night where they needed to be accurate with the boot, the Highlanders came up short and being a risk-reward tactic, it hurt them.
Space out wide, hard to get there
The Hurricanes' defence was not dissimilar to that of the Highlanders' this year. They got up fast and crowded the narrow channels, cutting down the space in close and in the midfield. That is a risky tactic against the Highlanders, as it leaves space out wide, which can be deadly for Waisake Naholo and co. The key is ensuring the line speed is good so the ball can't get into that space and the Hurricanes were good in doing that. That didn't stop the Highlanders trying, but the slippery ball, alongside the lack of space, meant that they had to be quick getting it wide and were often catching and passing under pressure. They got it into some space up the left at times, although the Hurricanes held them out well down the right and Naholo was nullified through this.
Hurricanes pouncing on mistakes
A few mistakes are expected in the wet, but there were too many from the Highlanders. With their kicking game not firing, it was important to look after the ball to build pressure. They struggled with that though, particularly in the first half. There were too many loose passes and too many dropped balls. When these happened the Hurricanes pounced, taking advantage of the broken play and forcing the Highlanders to scramble. It was from an instance like this that their first try was scored, as the ever-present Ardie Savea took his opportunity after a stray boot from Lima Sopoaga in a ruck. The Hurricanes handled the ball much better and consequently the Highlanders found themselves under a lot more pressure, which told in the end.
Missed tackles
As a general rule this year, when the Highlanders have defended well they have won and when they haven't, they have lost. They stayed true to that this week, falling off too many tackles in a flimsy defensive display. The Hurricanes found plenty of easy metres, breaking tackles and running through gaps to force the Highlanders to scramble back. That forced the Highlanders onto the back foot and when you are on the back foot in a game like this, it is not easy to win.
Returning players stepped up for Hurricanes
The five Hurricanes returning from suspension would have been keen to put in a big performance and it certainly showed. Victor Vito, Ardie Savea and Cory Jane were all outstanding. Vito and Savea were two of the best on the park, both proving dangerous with ball in hand and showing their worth around the park. Jane was electric all night, popping up around the field and making a handful of dangerous breaks. Julian Savea meanwhile was quiet, although play didn't go his way, while Chris Eves came on late in the game.
Second half fightback
With the score at 17-7 and the Hurricanes on top, it seemed this one may have been getting away from the Highlanders. But this Highlanders team has a knack of staying close to opponents and almost without fail, they will have a period of dominance. That period came after the break this week, as they scored a try after quelling the Hurricanes' exit from the kick-off and held that intensity for the next 25 minutes. The forward pack seemed to go to another level and the passes began to stick in the backline. At 20-20 the game was there for the taking, although a bad kick and inability to get the ball back with field position saw them fail to close the game out.
Changing the 9-10 combination
Some of the Highlanders' substitutions were interesting down the stretch. A lot of talent and experience was taken off with the game in the balance. Lima Sopoaga left in the 58th minute, while Aaron Smith was taken off with nine to go. Despite having both made their share of mistakes, taking them off was a big call. Marty Banks has indeed closed out big games, while Fumiaki Tanaka has experience in those sorts of situations too. But in such a key game, surely having the best halfback in the world and one of the world's best first five-eighths on the park is the way to go.
Sopoaga's kick
Lima Sopoaga made all the highlight reels with his backwards chip kick which was recollected by Matt Faddes and saw the Highlanders go close to scoring. Apparently it was Tony Brown's idea and what an idea it was. The defence didn't seem to know what had happened and neither did most of us watching. That it was executed so perfectly first time during a game was almost beyond belief. Had they scored from it surely it would have gone down as one of the great tries. Even so, you can be sure you will see it played over and over.
Crucial game to lose
The final try only cost the Highlanders one competition point, but it did allow the Hurricanes to jump ahead of them. That is assuming a win was unlikely by that stage. A win though, would have taken them to 41 points, which would have made them hard to pull in for the teams chasing their playoff spot. All is not lost by any means though and with games against the struggling Kings and Jaguares to come, the Highlanders should qualify, although may hold a lower seed.
