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'The boys are ready': Highlanders escape with comeback win over Force

By AAP
(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Western Force have missed a chance in New Zealand after the Highlanders escaped with a comeback Super Rugby Pacific win in Invercargill.

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Simon Cron’s men led 25-22 with 22 minutes to play on Sunday when George Poolman was sin-binned for a lifting tackle on Highlanders fullback Sam Gilbert.

That was the opening the Highlanders – winless after three games this season – needed as they streaked clear to prevail 43-35.

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Already depleted, the Highlanders lost All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizzell (groin) in the warm-up and then hooker Andrew Makalio (HIA) early in the game.

Inside centre Thomas Umaga-Jensen stepped up, a strong run setting up Jonah Lowe for the game’s first try before a clean tackle and pilfer on Hamish Stewart spoiled a Force raid.

Highlanders No.10 Mitch Hunt scuppered a Force try with a deliberate knock-down and was sin-binned, but no penalty try was awarded.

The five-eighth returned to score himself on the stroke of halftime.

Force halfback Gareth Simpson was impressive on club debut after the Saracens-bound Englishman was drafted into the squad as injury cover.

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He set up Zach Kibirige’s first-half try with a clever short kick off the side of his boot then dived over himself early in the second.

That effort was called back, but Tom Horton crossed soon after on the back of a Force driving maul to give the visitors a lead.

Simpson then threw the last pass for Bryce Hegarty to score and, with less than 30 minutes to play, the Force were poised to finish off the winless hosts.

But No.10 Hegarty then limped off and Poolman’s brain-fade quickly followed – Sean Withy, Jonah Lowe and Hugh Lenton all scoring to steal a crucial win for a depleted Highlanders.

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Two late Force tries at least earned them a bonus point as they dropped to 2-2.

“Wasn’t the prettiest but it’s a win nonetheless and we build from that,” Highlanders captain Billy Harmon said.

“We’re dropping like flies but Withy was ready to go; late onto the bench this week then late onto starting, it just shows the boys are ready to go.”

Force prop Tom Robertson also failed his HIA after lasting just six minutes, a blow for the Perth side on a three-week New Zealand swing.

“We let the Highlanders run on top of us a lot of the time; they carried strongly and if you let a team get a roll on it’s tough to stem that flow,” Force skipper Michael Wells said.

“We’ve got to grind things out and if that’s the team we’ve got to be, so be it.”

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Bull Shark 20 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically. I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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