Rugby: Force ruin Highlanders' hopes

osh Berkhuis in the new Highlanders jersey is tackled. Photo / Getty Images

The Force have beaten the Highlanders 21-14 in their last ever Super Rugby match at the iconic Carisbrook in Dunedin.

Former Hurricanes winger David Smith scored two tries in ten minutes to snatch a comeback victory from the Highlanders, who unveilied a new lime green playing strip.

The Samoan-born back scored in the 65th and 75th minute, with his second try a brilliant individual effort which saw him go on a weaving fifty metre run to score in the corner to the delight of his teammates.

Super 15 standings

For the Highlanders, it was a heart-breaking farewell to their beloved home ground of Carisbrook, and dented their hopes of clinching a playoff spot after slipping to their second loss in two weeks.

Led on to the field by Adam Thomson in his 50th match for the Super 15 franchise, the flanker modelled the new strip featuring lime socks and blue shorts with the lime trim.

The Highanders made a number of penalties in the opening five minutes as the Force pack made inroads in and around the ruck area with the a penalty to first-five Stannard in the fifth minute.

Lima Sopoaga responded with a penalty of his own, as the Highlanders looked to revive their faulty start with a three-pointer to the young first-five.

Sopoaga added his second penalty from 43 metres to shift the score to 6-3 in the 17th minute after a breakdown penalty, before the first try was scored by fullback Ben Smith.

Off the back of a huge 80 metre punt by halfback Jimmy Cowan, the Highlanders stole the lineout before shifting the ball wide to Smith to score in the corner for a 11-3 lead.

As the Highlanders went on another attack in the Force 22, Sopoaga added his third penalty for a 14-3 lead in the 27th minute.

With a one man advantage and a 14 point surge behind their backs, the Highlanders made easy headway into their half with the loose trio of John Hardie, Nasi Manu and Thomson proving tough to handle for the Australians.

Thomson had a chance to deepen the Force's woes in the 31st minute as he went close to scoring his side's second five-pointer only for David to hold him up and drove him out while over the tryline.

In the second stanza the Highlanders blew 10 points in the first ten minutes with Sopoaga missing a penalty from in front, and Piutau refusing to pass to an unmarked Jimmy Cowan with the tryline open.

The Force closed the gap to 14-10 with 15 minutes remaining after former Smith scored his side's first try.

With a patient 14 phase build-up, the Force went wide to Smith in a three on two overlap as he slid between tacklers to score. Stannard converted.

Smith went in for his second with five minutes remaining, and Stannard kicked two late penalties to put the game beyond the Highlanders reach.

Western Force 21 (David Smith 2 tries; James Stannard con, 3 pen) Highlanders 14 (Ben Smith try; Lima Sopoaga 3 pen) Halftime: 3-14.

- Herald online