Highlanders v Moana Pasifika result: Playoff hopes alive for Moana Pasifika after last-minute thriller

Moana Pasifika No 8 Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa celebrates. Photo / Photosport

Highlanders 29

Moana Pasifika 34

Moana Pasifika has kept their hopes of a first Super Rugby Pacific playoff berth in the club’s history alive, coming away with a nail-biting win over the Highlanders.

It was a frantic 80-minute arm-wrestle under the Sunday afternoon sun in Dunedin, which saw nine tries scored and a handful of lead changes.

Both sides needed a win to keep their seasons alive, but it was Moana Pasifika that stole it in the 76th minute through a freakish charge-down try by replacement halfback Melani Matavao, which saw the visitors charge home 34-29.

“I’m exhausted, tired, but also satisfied,” captain and All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea told Sky Sport after the win.

“It’s not nice playing that game when it’s going back and forth. You’d rather be in a good lead, but that’s the beauty of footy.”

The match, played at full speed by two sides that were desperate for a win, sees Moana Pasifika sneak into the all-important top six on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, with four rounds to play.

Highlanders fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens opened the scoring in the opening minutes of the game, dotting down possibly the easiest try of his career after pouncing on a loose offload by William Havili while Moana Pasifika tried to run it out of their own 22.

But the visitors proved they had come to play with midfielder Danny Toala running on to a short ball and crashing over some two minutes later, on the back of sharp passing by the Moana Pasifika backline.

The sides traded tries again, with Highlanders winger Jonah Lowe dotting down near the corner, before a pinpoint grubber from Toala saw Lalomilo Lalomilo chase, dive and score at full stretch as Moana Pasifika took the lead 12-14 after 20 minutes.

A late penalty saw the visitors hold the lead, heading into halftime with a 17-12 scoreline and the momentum behind them.

That momentum shifted in the opening minutes of the second half after Havili’s shoulder connected with the neck of Highlanders first five-eighths Cameron Millar’s neck, warranting a yellow card.

Millar converted a penalty in front of the posts a minute later, narrowing the gap to two.

Individual brilliance from Savea saw Moana Pasifika score a minute later after the captain kicked the ball 40m away from the tryline and regathered for a spectacular solo score.

The game was locked at 22-22 after a behind-the-back pass from Highlanders replacement halfback Folau Fakatava saw Lowe cross for his second try of the afternoon.

Tries from Moana Pasifika’s Miracle Faiʻilagi and Highlanders hooker Jack Taylor had the home side with a two-point lead with six minutes to play.

In the dying minutes of the game, the visitors produced some more magic, with replacement halfback Matavao charging down a clearing kick and scoring less than a minute after he came on to the field.

The Highlanders had a chance to steal it after the fulltime siren had blown, having to run 40m for a try, but a dropped pass that dribbled over the sideline was the dagger.

For the Highlanders, their hopes of making the quarter-finals are all but over as they head into a bye week – let alone looking at their final three games of the season against the Hurricanes, Crusaders and Chiefs.

As for Moana Pasifika, their chances of a playoffs spot are very much alive, rocketing up to sixth place on the ladder – and will be buoyed with confidence as they also head into a week off.

Highlanders 29 (Jonah Lowe 2, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Jack Taylor tries; Cameron Millar 2, Taine Robinson cons, Millar pen)

Moana Pasifika 34 (Danny Toala, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Ardie Savea, Miracle Faiilagi, Melani Matavao tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2, Patrick Pellegrini cons, William Havili pen)

HT: 12-17

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.