The Highlanders are out of the running for the playoffs after a 19-13 loss to the Reds in Brisbane last night.
Frankly, it was all the Highlanders deserved for they put together easily their worst performance of the season last night.
They made error after error, and left their run way too late.
They almost grabbed the win but it was not to be and they came up short, lacking composure right at the end.
It would have been a far from deserved win for the Highlanders.
They were well off the pace for much of the game, there was a lack of accuracy and players were too slow in both mind and body.
The Highlanders were down 16-3, 15 minutes into the second half and looked to be out of the game.
Reds prop James Slipper managed to sneak over near the sideline and when Mike Harris kicked the conversion it looked like game over for the Highlanders.
They finally woke up and after a strong burst from Nasi Manu, and Adam Thomson went over.
Mike Delany, who had a poor game, missed the handy conversion and with it the sails seemed to go out of the Highlanders attack.
Harris knocked over a penalty to give his side an 11 point lead with less than 10 minutes left on the clock.
Replacement prop Chris King went over with five minutes to go and the Highlanders then threw it all at the Reds in the final stages. Despite some frantic Highlanders pressure the Reds hung on.
The Reds looked more threatening simply because they made fewer errors and were better at turning defence into attack.
Both sides tried to throw the ball around but neither appeared to have the skill and accuracy required.
Best for the Highlanders was Manu, while Ben Smith looked dangerous, as did Hosea Gear.
To be blunt, the first 40 minutes of this encounter was some of the worst rugby seen this season.
The Reds had the majority of the territory in the first half but could not find a way across the line, as the Highlanders defended well when needed.
The opening 40 minutes was summed up with the last play of the half when Reds second five-eighth Harris attempted a dropped goal which even an 8-year-old would be ashamed of.
When the boys in blue got the ball they just could not find any continuity. There were far too many sloppy individual errors.
The home side conceded a penalty in its own half in the first minute, and the Highlanders showed their attacking intent by not going forgoal, looking instead for a five pointer.
They turned down a penalty they could have thrown over after just four minutes, but Delany knocked over the first points from a very handy position after six minutes.
The Reds then replied through Harris after a Highlanders' indiscretion in a ruck.
The first half hour of the game was dominated by the whistle of referee Jonathan Kaplan as both sides went off their feet at the breakdown, and made some sloppy errors.
Harris slotted a penalty with nine minutes to go in the first half to put his side ahead and it was deserved after a long period of pressure on the Highlanders line.
Reds v Highlanders
The scores
Reds 19 (James Slipper try, Mike Harris con, 4 pen)
Highlanders 13 (Adam Thomson, Chris King tries, Mike Delany pen
Halftime: 6-3 Reds.
