Heroic defence
How many times has the phrase ‘defence wins games' been used in this column this year? And so it proved for the Highlanders last night; defence indeed wins games.
The Highlanders managed to withstand wave after wave of attack as the bloodthirsty Sharks had them under the pump for much of the final 20 minutes.
But they did not fold. Whereas in previous games they have fallen off too many one-off tackles, this week they held strong and a gutsy team effort saw them escape in a game that had heartbreak written all over it.
Fast start to the second half
It was in the first 15 minutes after the break that the game was won. In this time the Highlanders dominated territory and possession, applying pressure and coming up with 18 points. Twice they found their way to the line, the second of which would have to equate to the try of the season where the ball went through multiple hands in a brilliant counterattacking sequence.
It was a sequence the Sharks never recovered from and allowed the Highlanders to rely on steely defence to see them through.
Strong scrum
The scrum finally functioned well and definitely got the better of their opposition this week - admittedly an opposition that was missing two Springbok front rowers. Even so, you can only play against who the opposition puts out on the field.
Both Tony Woodcock and Chris King were especially strong here, setting a good platform and providing the backs better ball to work with. The game is won up front, and that definitely rang true this week.
Excellent midfield
It certainly helped that the forwards were operating better, but this was definitely the best showing from the Highlanders midfield backs this season. Shaun Treeby was threatening with ball in hand and was solid on defence, while Tamati Ellison was very good in his first game of the year, making some crucial tackles and running strongly.
No doubt Ellison had a huge impact on this, but do not underestimate the influence of Treeby, who was every bit as good as his All Black counterpart in all areas of the game. With Ma'a Nonu sidelined with an injury for the next three weeks, Treeby will retain the No. 12 jersey for the overseas trip. But if he can playing the way he is, it will be hard to justify dropping him even when Nonu is available. After all, why fix what is not broken?
The bye
Sometimes a week off can be what is needed to get the season back on track. Winning teams often complain of it as it is a well-known momentum killer, but that theory can also work in reverse for a losing team.
The bye week can serve as an opportunity to let the body recover, but it also serves as a mental break too and that can be crucial in refreshing the mindset. It seemed to work this way for the Highlanders at least as they came out with an intensity and desperation that was missing for the first half of the season. It was this that allowed them to defend so well in the closing stages, staying strong rather than caving in when the going got tough.
