From sinner to a saint for Kinikinilau

Highlanders 25 Blues 13

The careful punters made another mess of the high rollers at Carisbrook.

Draft choice wing Roy Kinikinilau returned from the sinbin to secure victory for the Highlanders although he needed the video referee to confirm his change in fortune.

The burly wing was denied one try on camera evidence but two minutes later, latched on to a perfectly weighted Nick Evans' grubber to seal the win for a hardworking side against a Blues team which got more flighty as the match wore on.

It was a superb result for a Highlanders side which attended to basics and worked hard for each other while the Blues were almost as flaky and disorganised as they were in the opening round.

As the worries gnawed at the teams and the emotions raged, the Highlanders kept their nerve. They held firm on their plans and disrupted the Blues, especially at the lineout, to deliver a terrific first victory in their Super 14 campaign.

This meeting of the first round underachievers meant the stakes were high. Defeat would have left the Highlanders heading for South Africa without a win while another loss for the Blues has continued the tough introduction for coach David Nucifora.

Keen to redress a lacklustre finish to their match last week, the Blues showed great early continuity. When No 8 Nick Williams scored after six minutes of concerted attack, the Blues looked as though they had discovered the recipe for their round one woes.

Wing Joe Rokocoko started the move with a counter attack 70m from the Highlnaders line and after great support in depth from Anthony Tuitavake, Tasesa Lavea and Ali Williams, the bullocking No 8 Williams battered across the line.

Just as quickly that promise evaporated as the Highlanders created set piece troubles for the Blues while both sides had difficulty finding any rhythm because of new referee Chris Pollock's rulings.

When Luke McAlister went off with a suspected cracked jaw after a collission with old teammate Evans, the Blues lost more of their shape. That gave the Highlanders some impetus and when Craig Newby took a quick tap penalty, his teammates shifted the ball across the field and back for Ben Blair to make the incision and lock Tom Donnelly took advantage of the overlap.

It was a patient comeback from the hosts while the Blues were too frenetic.

A couple of successes for Evans allowed the Highlanders to nudge 10-7 ahead at halftime and the margin continued early in the second half when Evans and Lavea both goaled penalties. There was no great shift in the search for supremacy but there was a chance for the Blues when Kinikinilau was sinbinned for a high tackle on the dangerous Isa Nacewa.

Instead of making their numerical advantage count, the Blues messed up bigtime when they shovelled static ball across their line and Vilimoni Delasau snaffled the intercept for an unimpeded 60m sprint for the converted try.

Blues (N Williams tries; L. McAlister con, T. Lavea 2 pen

Highlanders (T. Donnelly, V. Delasau, R. Kinikinilau, tries; N. Evans 2 con, 2 pen) Halftime: 10-7