Hurricanes potent as Highlanders' hopes end

Tana Umaga bursts through the Highlanders defence. Sandra Mu / Getty Images

The Highlanders were reduced to a Super 14 rugby afterthought following a 13-29 loss to the Hurricanes in Dunedin today.

The result effectively ended the Highlanders' hopes of reaching the semifinals; they can still do it mathematically but there's no logical argument to suggest they will.

They entered the game at Carisbrook in eighth place on the standings, desperately requiring victory to drag themselves above the chasing pack.

Eighty minutes later they slipped one position on the table after suffering their fifth loss in 10 outings, and they will go further backwards next week when they have the bye.

The Hurricanes, a top four side widely expected to make the playoffs, prevailed today simply due to the big-name matchwinners who litter their team roster.

The Highlanders endeavoured to counter the threats posed by the Hurricanes with a gameplan demanding an adherence to the team's needs.

They largely achieved their goal to quieten the Hurricanes' dangerous backline but there was no stopping the individual brilliance which the team from Wellington have in such abundance.

The Hurricanes did not hit the lead for the first time until the 54th minute. All Blacks lock Jason Eaton could barely believe his good fortune when chasing up a kick through by loose forward Chris Masoe.

The ball bounced at odd angles as it eluded several players before Eaton arrived to pick up the spoils and cross the tryline.

That left the Hurricanes 15-13 ahead, an advantage quickly extended when halfback Piri Weepu ducked through a midfield hole 10 minutes later before producing a flick pass that winger Lome Fa'atau accepted before proving too quick for the beaten Highlanders cover.

Fullback Isaia Toeava gave the final scoreline a slightly lopsided look by scoring his second try, and the team's fifth, in the last move of the match.

But until Eaton's try, it seemed the Highlanders were set to benefit from an appalling display of goalkicking from the Hurricanes as Jimmy Gopperth, David Holwell and Piri Weepu missed seven kicks at goal between them.

For much of the first half it appeared referee Kelvin Deaker and the Hurricanes forwards were working from different law books as the visitors were penalised eight times in succession.

The Highlanders did not concede a penalty until the 38th minute by which time they led 13-5 and hinted at better to come.

Tries by young first five-eighth Callum Bruce and prop Clarke Dermody gave the Highlanders plenty of hope while former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga marked his return from an injury break by scoring for the Hurricanes after shadowing midfield partner Ma'a Nonu across the field.

Highlanders captain Anton Oliver could take nothing away from the Hurricanes, saying they deserved the result.

"We started really well, with a lot of urgency ... they played better in the second half, put more pressure on at the breakdown and invariably we got slower ball," Oliver said.

He said the individual skills of the Hurricanes were very difficult to counter.

"They have an ability to make something from nothing. The game is meandering along and suddenly Piri just breaks a tackle and offloads. Bang, there's a try.

"It is really hard to defend that individual brilliance. You either have players who can do that or you haven't.

"The Hurricanes have got four or five who can do it."

Hurricanes 29 (Isaia Toeava 2, Tana Umaga, Jason Eaton, Lome Fa'atau tries; David Holwell 2 con)
Highlanders 13 (Callum Bruce, Clarke Dermody tries; Ben Blair pen). Halftime: 5-13.

- NZPA