'Extremely proud' - How the Highlanders snapped their Super Rugby losing streak
After almost two months without victory, the Highlanders have captured just their third win of the Super Rugby campaign against the Blues.
Their 24-12 win at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin was a long time coming, as they had endured a run of five consecutive losses against fellow Kiwi opponents, relegating them to 14th place on the standings.
However, a couple of opportunistic tries to Shannon Frizell and Matt Faddes, both of which stemmed from intercepts, as well as a penalty try from a scrum five metres from the Blues’ tryline was enough to hand the home side the win, which is their first since their 36-31 victory over the Reds at the same venue on February 22.
It’s a result that means the Highlanders will lock away the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy for the seventh straight year, which will ease the pressure that was mounting on head coach Aaron Mauger, who didn’t shy away from expressing the pride he had of his side’s mental strength.
“[I’m] extremely proud,” he told RugbyPass.
“Proud of the resilience and fortitude of our team, not just tonight, but of over the last four or five weeks.
“It’s been challenging, but I think tonight’s performance is a reflection of how much our boys care about each other and how much they care about representing the Highlanders and the added privilege of playing for the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy.”
The same cannot be said for Blues head coach Leon MacDonald, whose side is now on a run of back-to-back losses after impressing with a four-match winning streak that catapulted them into a play-offs spot.
Now, the Auckland-based club are in danger of dropping out of the top eight, and MacDonald credited that to a string of individual errors as the visitors conceding 19 turnovers.
“We turned over a lot of ball, and we weren’t able to build phases, really,” he said.
“Through that, we weren’t able to apply pressure, for long periods of time, and, especially in the second half, we were playing a lot of rugby in our own half when weren’t able to get possession as well, so that was on the back of handling errors and giving them opportunities just to stay down and keep the squeeze on us.
“They played their game really well, and we didn’t cope with it.”
The Blues will have a week off next week before turning their focus to the lowly Brumbies in Canberra, while the Highlanders, who now sit in 11th spot, face a difficult trip to Tokyo to face an exciting Sunwolves outfit.
Although still placed last in the competition, they have proven to be difficult opposition at times through their enterprising play, as was seen in their close 29-23 loss to the Hurricanes on Friday.
It’s an assignment that Faddes, whose intercept try in the 56th-minute was his first of the season, is relishing, given the Sunwolves’ ties to Dunedin.
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“We head over to Tokyo tomorrow, and we’ll play a bloody good Sunwolves team,” he said.
“They’re playing some outstanding footy, and it’s a game style we’ve all seen, there’s definitely a Jamie [Joseph] and Brownie [Tony Brown] influence in there, so the boys will be looking forward to getting over there and looking to carry on a bit of momentum, that’s for sure.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Haha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
2 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
5 Go to commentsSlade was exceptional against Gloucester. Not only was he doing the classic Slade stuff of running amazing lines and timing passes to perfection to put his wingers into space, he was kicking goals, flying off the line smashing people and crashing into rucks like a flanker… his hair even looked on point. 😍
1 Go to commentsThat’s really sad, hope everyone involved is ok. At least he had pants on.
2 Go to commentsTo be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
1 Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
5 Go to commentsCan we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
5 Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
7 Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
2 Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
4 Go to commentsIt’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
7 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
5 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
12 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
7 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
5 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
7 Go to comments