Brave start cold comfort to Chiefs

12.30am - by CHRIS RATTUE

HIGHLANDERS 29 CHIEFS 16

No fairytales. No surprises. Normal transmission resumed in the Super 12 with the first press of the "on" button.

A Highlanders side laden with test experience ground out victory against the Chiefs in the series opener in Hamilton last night.

First five-eighths Willie Walker landed eight out of eight penalty attempts to steer the visitors home, and usher in a new rugby season that will reach far greater heights than this.

Until Taine Randell drifted inside the defence of replacement halfback Isaac Boss to set up a 78th-minute try to former Waikato wing Aisea Tuilevu, it looked as though the victors in the first match might even go tryless.

The honour of scoring the season's first try had gone to discarded Highlanders No 8 Paul Miller in the 50th minute, to give the Chiefs a 16-15 lead.

The implications of defeat for the Chiefs are already reasonably significant. Coach Kevin Greene conceded that his side needed near-maximum points from their first three games at home. Without even a bonus point they are already behind the eight ball.

The big disappointment for them is that although the Highlanders always had an edge, the Chiefs stayed in touch and had good momentum when Miller scored.

But the timing around the inside-back combination of David Hill and Mark Ranby was astray, and Keith Lowen, who looked the most likely to break the well-organised Highlanders defence, never got enough opportunities.

Greene must already be considering re-uniting the Hautapu midfield pair of Regan King and Lowen, who created a lot of the magic for Waikato in last year's NPC.

There was little of what you could call real penetration from either side last night so it was fitting that Miller's try came from hard work in the forwards.

Veteran lock Glenn Taylor wrestled the ball away from the Highlanders' maul and went close to scoring himself before Miller crashed his way over. It was Taylor's last act - with Reece Robinson replacing him.

Among those to shine was new Highlanders fullback Paul Williams, who has been plucked out of Auckland club rugby. His hard-hitting tackle on a free-running Lowen in the first half could easily survive in the season's highlights package.

The big centre was driven back just as he was searching for support runners.

The honours lay with Walker's goalkicking. Had he faltered, the Chiefs may have got more than just the taste of an upset.

Highlanders 29 (A.Tuilevu try, W. Walker 8 pen), Chiefs 16 (P. Miller try, G. Jackson con, 3 pen). Halftime: 12-6.