Chiefs see off Highlanders despite errors

Chiefs 16 Highlanders 13

The Chiefs fired almost all the shots before emerging narrow victors over the Highlanders in a Super 14 rugby match in Hamilton tonight.

The Chiefs won the eighth round match 16-13 at Waikato Stadium after overcoming an heroic defensive display from the visitors.

The closeness of the scoreline owed everything to the Highlanders' steadfast defence plus a surfeit of handling errors from the Chiefs.

The Highlanders toughed out a close win over the Cats in Invercargill last weekend when a bullet proof defence got them home against a rival firing blanks on attack.

It was not enough tonight, though, after the Highlanders took to the field with a conservative gameplan seemingly based solely on kicking for field position.

Such thinking required accuracy from the kickers and a dominant forward pack to squeeze the life from the Chiefs. The Highlanders managed neither.

The Chiefs boast a potent three-quarter line and wings Soseni Anesi and Sitiveni Sivivatu plus centre Mils Muliaina constantly asked hard questions of the southerners' defensive determination.

The Highlanders were seldom found wanting and despite conceding two tries, it was not their defence which cost them the match.

Rather, the Chiefs took it away from them, blunting the hard edge the Highlanders expected to be provided with in the pack to enable their own No 8 Sione Lauaki to flourish in the loose.

The Chiefs were sharp and accurate early on as they edged out to an 11-0 lead following two penalties to Stephen Donald while crisp passing and quick hands created space on the right for wing Soseni Anesi to score a try in the 19th minute.

The remainder of the first half saw the Highlanders repeatedly kicking possession away, mostly aimlessly, while the Chiefs attempted to attack only to be let down by handling mistakes in the tackle.

The Highlanders were given a boost when fullback Ben Blair landed a penalty on the stroke of halftime and the eight-point difference hardly reflected the Chiefs' efforts.

A bizarre try not too long after the interval brought the Highlanders back into the game when rookie first five-eighth Callum Bruce ran 50 to chase a speculative punt down field.

In the end Bruce narrowly beat Lauaki in a desperate dive for the ball near the deadball line while the remaining 28 players looked on from afar.

Blair's wide-angled conversion drew the Highlanders up to 10-11 before Lauaki capped a stirring individual performance by beating two defenders near the left touchline to score a deserved try in the 62nd minute.

The Highlanders quickly responded with another Blair penalty as the last quarter developed in a desperate struggle by two teams short of their best.

Chiefs captain Marty Holah was relieved to win a tight game, particularly after losing 26-28 to the Brumbies in Canberra last weekend.

"We have let a few close ones slip us by in recent weeks and I though we closely that game out pretty strongly," Holah said.

Highlanders captain Anton Oliver praised his side's tenacity and character.

"We showed tremendous defence again. We fought our way back really well and got into a position where we could've won it."

Oliver said his side's gameplan in the first half was the right one as they wanted to steer clear of the Chiefs' midfield defence and instead target the flanks.

"Our execution couldn't get us there," he said.

He said the Highlanders showed more accuracy and urgency after the break.

"We were in that half the whole way through."

Scores:

Chiefs 16 (Soseni Anesi, Sione Lauaki tries; Stephen Donald 2 pen)
Highlanders 13 (Callum Bruce try; Ben Blair 2 pen, con).
HT: 11-3.

- NZPA