Chiefs' playoffs bid still alive

Chiefs 16 Highlanders 13

When Lyndon Bray blew the final whistle at Waikato Stadium last night, he probably blew time on the Highlanders' season.

Both sides went into the match knowing a loss would severely dent any playoff ambitions and, befitting the importance of the match, it was a tough and bruising encounter that went down to the wire.

Although they were guilty of letting the visitors back into the match in the second half and gave their fans cause for controlled panic, the Chiefs at least live to fight another day.

They can now sit back with some satisfaction and look forward to three consecutive home games against South African sides in the next three weeks, which might leave them sniffing a playoff spot like a hungry dog on the prowl.

Ian Foster's side is certainly good enough to do that but you hope they don't look back on the season and regret the ones that got away after two narrow losses to the Crusaders and Brumbies in the past fortnight. In what would be a mouthwatering contest, their aspirations might even come down to a visit to Auckland to take on the Blues in the final round.

Although the Highlanders still have five games of this first Super 14 to play, two of them are against top four sides.

And without injured first five-eighths Nick Evans, they don't look capable of putting a run together to catapult them into the semifinals.

Their strength is undoubtedly their tight five and it was inevitable they weren't going to play an expansive game. But even their strength let them down too often as they made elementary mistakes, which meant they weren't able to build pressure on the home side, particularly in the first half.

Lineout throws went astray, passes were fumbled and, inexplicably, kicks went out on the full.

But, as Sean Fitzpatrick would say, full credit to the Chiefs for taking them on up front and not allowing the Highlanders to muscle their way through the middle.

When they did throw the ball around, they certainly didn't look anything like the Otago sides of a decade ago that could break open oppositions from anywhere on the park. This was true, rugged, Southern Man rugby.

In contrast, the Chiefs were a lot more adventurous in their approach, realising they had the wood on their opponents out wide.

Sitiveni Sivivatu and Sosene Anesi were unleashed as quickly as they could shift the ball out wide and it took some torrid tackling from the Highlanders, again, and some lack of ball control from the Chiefs to keep the score to a respectable 11-3 at the break.

Time and again, they would break out from their own territory and threaten to break open the Highlanders only for them to turn over the ball at crucial times.

Bullocking No 8 Sione Lauaki continued his impersonation of a runaway train as he stomped over Highlanders as if they weren't there. He certainly doesn't look like he needs to add a sidestep to his repertoire.

But it was through the boot of first five-eighths Stephen Donald that the Chiefs opened the scoring, courtesy of two penalties, before flying wing Anesi touched down in the right-hand corner in the 20th minute. It was a simple case of draw and pass and was just reward for the attacking endeavour they showed.

Whatever Greg Cooper said in the sheds at halftime ought to be bottled because the Highlanders attacked their work with renewed vigour. They closed the gap to one point four minutes after the restart when Callum Bruce took advantage of some lazy Chiefs covering to win the race for an optimistic kick into the corner.

The Chiefs had only themselves to blame, assuming the ball would drift aimlessly over the dead-ball line and Richard Kahui threatened to break Chiefs' hearts before they realised they might need to do more than just turn up.

It was torrid stuff, it was often ugly but it was also nerve-racking for supporters of both sides. After all, a season rested on it.

Lauaki eventually scored in the corner after some slick work from Sivivatu but Ben Blair replied with a well-struck penalty. The Highlanders just wouldn't go away, much like a pesky little sister, and even threatened to steal the show.

The relief among the Chiefs players was palpable when Bray finally called time on the match. It was also cause for celebration but there is still plenty of work ahead.

Chiefs 16 (S. Anesi, S. Lauaki tries, S. Donald 2 pens).
Highlanders 13 (C. Bruce try, B Blair 2 pens, con).
 
-HERALD ON SUNDAY