1
Twitter explodes as Bryn Gatland scores match-winning drop goal to defeat Warren Gatland's Chiefs
A last-minute drop goal from Bryn Gatland has secured a dramatic win for the Highlanders against the much fancied Chiefs in Dunedin.
ADVERTISEMENT
Facing his father and Chiefs head coach Warren, Bryn rammed home a three-pointer from close range in the dying stages in front of a near-sold out arena to give the southerners an early leg-up in the Kiwi Super Rugby league.
The 25-year-old’s efforts in the 79th minute was met with a raucous reception under the roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium, and pundits on Twitter joined in on the jubilation – and dejection – as the hosts rejoiced following a tensely-fought battle.
Coming into the match day squad as a late replacement for the injured Josh Ioane, Gatland became the unlikely hero for the Highlanders in what is his only appearance for the 2015 Super Rugby champions this season.
Bryn Gatland, who wasn’t even supposed to be playing, nails a late DG to beat his dad’s Chiefs team by one point. ?pic.twitter.com/iWlPoqaEGX
— Matthew Southcombe (@MattSouth7) June 13, 2020
Bryn Gatland wasn’t even supposed to play for the Highlanders tonight but Josh Ioane’s late scratching lands him a spot on the bench. He comes on to score the winning drop goal to beat a Chiefs team coached by his dad. Not a bad way to start the Super Rugby Aotearoa season.
— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) June 13, 2020
That Bryn Gatland drop goal was an absolute beauty. Like a flyaway ball on the beach it flailed around and eventually went through.
— Sam Larner (@SamLStandsUp) June 13, 2020
Live sport. Great win for @Highlanders
How good seeing @BrynGatland get one over his dad.Aaron mauger will be screaming “Double roll” at all his ball carries in training next week. #HIGvCHI
— Jim Hamilton (Vice Captain) (@jimhamilton4) June 13, 2020
Other Twitter users were quick to highlight the irony of Gatland being the source of Warren’s – who was earlier this week named the greatest coach in the world by fans – demise.
https://twitter.com/michaelcolhoun/status/1271733884305068032
Warren Gatland wishing he’d pulled out all those years ago!! ? #BrynGatland #SuperRugbyAotearoa
— Chris Jones (@CJones_94) June 13, 2020
https://twitter.com/lucus910/status/1271736120645226496
https://twitter.com/Runningflyhalf/status/1271728541365874688
ADVERTISEMENT
Bryn Gatland scored the drop goal to beat the Warren Gatland coached Chiefs.
In unrelated news Bryn is now out of Warren's will.— Sanjay Patel (@spat106) June 13, 2020
The result leaves Warren’s Chiefs rooted to the bottom of the Super Rugby Aotearoa standings as they prepare to host the much-discussed Blues in Hamilton next week.
That could prove to be a difficult task for the Waikato franchise should the Blues, who will field All Blacks star Beauden Barrett for the first time tomorrow against the Hurricanes at Eden Park, emerge victorious against the Wellingtonians.
With elevated confidence, Leon MacDonald’s side may well be a tougher ask to handle than that of the Highlanders, who were written off by many leading into the revamped campaign, with the TAB placing them at odds of $31.
Aaron Mauger’s side, meanwhile, will head into their bye week on top of the world, with a clash against Blues in Auckland awaiting them in two weeks’ time.
ADVERTISEMENT
How that match pans out remains to be seen, but if tonight’s performance is anything to go by, the Dunedin club could well be a force to be reckoned with throughout the rest of this season.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments