Highlanders win plod
There was nothing to recommend the first half. It was a mixture of poor kicking, errors, one-pass phases as a variation from pick-'n-go, and falling scrums and mauls.
The Highlanders dominated the second half, encamping close go the Reds' line and managing a penalty three minutes from the end to beat the beleaguered Reds 18-15.
The closeness of the scores made the match interesting towards the end but the lack of creativity ensured that the essential plod of the match remained unscathed.
The Highlanders scored first – a penalty goal Lima Sopoaga. They also scored last – a penalty goal by Lima Sopoaga.
The Highlanders attacked first, and Jackson Hemopo claimed to have scored when he got the ball on the line after being tackled. After consultation the referee disallowed the try but he had been playing advantage and went back to the penalty, which Sopoaga goaled. 3-0 after 19 minutes.
Four minutes later Jono Lance did in like manner. 3-3.
The Highlanders were back on the attack and the Reds were penalised five metres from their line and in front of their posts. The Highlanders opted for a scrum and eventually went wide to Tevita Li who beat Izaia Parese to score in the left corner. 8-3 after 28 minutes.
The Reds had a creative flash. They went right and brought in Parese who broke and gave Samu Kerevi a run. The Highlanders were penalised at a scrum and the Reds kicked out for a five-metre line-out. They mauled and bashed and hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa plunged over for a try, which Lance converted. The Reds led 10-8 after 39 minutes – the half-time score.
Early in the second half, centre, Duncan Paia'aua, broke and passed to prop Taniela Tupou who gave to lock Izach Rodda who gave to Paenga-Amosa, and the Reds advanced in phases till Kerevi burst free and fullback Hamish Stewart was on hand to score. 15-8 after 45 minutes.
At this stage scrumhalf Kayne Hammington of the Highlanders limped off injured and suddenly there was Aaron Smith, like a genie out of a bottle. The game changed. The rest of the half belonged to the visitors with one brief breakout by Parese.
A sign of Highlander dominance in the half is shown by four line-outs and a scrum five metres from the Reds' line in addition to two Reds' scrums five metres from their own line.
That the Highlanders took so long to manage a victory is a credit to George Smith and 14 other Reds but also a poor mark for Highlanders attack.
After Sopoaga was tackled into touch, the Highlanders stayed on the attack, bashed and then went wide to Liam Squire stationed on the left wing and the big loose forward scored. Sopoaga's conversion made the score 15-all with 22 minutes to play.
The Reds' breakout came when Richard Buckman, on for Rob Thompson, grubbered at the Reds' line but Parese got it and broke out. That took play just into the Highlanders' half, foreign territory for the Reds, but the Highlanders ran, Rodda tackled high and Sopoaga goaled with three minutes to play – three minutes in which the Highlanders played keep-ball till Sopoaga kicked a penalty into touch and the referee blew a merciful final whistle.
The Highlanders had a points' victory.
Man of the Match: Seek in the hope of finding and we settled on the man who did most to bring the game to life – Aaron Smith
The scorers:
For the Reds:
Tries: Paenga-Amosa, Stewart
Con: Lance
Pen: Lance
For the Highlanders:
Tries: Li, Squire
Con: Sopoaga
Pens: Sopoaga 2
Teams:
Reds: 15 Hamish Stewart, 14 Izaia Perese, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Duncan Paia'aua, 11 Jordan Petaia, 10 Jono Lance, 9 Ben Lucas, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 George Smith, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Harry Hockings, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Jean-Pierre Smith.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Sef Fa'agase, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Kane Douglas, 20 Caleb Timu, 21 Liam Wright, 22 Moses Sorovi, 23 Aidan Toua.
Highlanders: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Kayne Hammington, 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 James Lentjes, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Jackson Hemopo, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Ash Dixon (captain), 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Kalolo Tuiloma, 19 Josh Dickson, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Aaron Smith, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Richard Buckman.
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jordan Way (Australia), Graham Cooper (Australia)
TMO: Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)
