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KEY POINTS:
Twenty minutes of Super 14 rugby brilliance subsided into a hugely frustrating opening night for the Highlanders who crashed to a 31-33 loss to the ACT Brumbies in Dunedin tonight.
The 2009 competition kicked off with fast-moving, dramatic encounter marked by a collapse from the hosts, who raced
to a 19-0 lead inside 19 minutes, and a late winning dropped goal from visiting first five-eighth Christian Lealiifano.
The Brumbies surged for 30 unanswered points but reserve front rowers Chris King and Jason Rutledge barged over for late tries to give the Highlanders the lead at 31-30.
Lealiifano then had the final say in a roller-coast clash, coolly landing a 30m snap with a minute on the clock.
"It was something we always practise at training and it's paid off," Lealiifano told Radio Sport.
"I tried not to think to much, once you do that, it doesn't go well for you... I thought I could have hit it a bit better."
First half injury exits for two of their three All Blacks - Jimmy Cowan and his replacement as captain Jamie Mackintosh - sucked the life out of the Highlanders, who spent much of the night defending against vastly more experienced opponents.
Weight of possession told as the Brumbies secured a bonus point when fullback Mark Gerrard crossed with 25min remaining.
Veteran second five-eighth Stirling Mortlock bagged a double and Gerrard scored 15 points to silence a small crowd at Carisbrook who had begun the evening in good voice.
Halfback Cowan departed in the 16th minute with an elbow injury and prop Mackintosh followed 15min later with a knee complaint.
It is not clear how long the two key Southlanders may be out of contention, with centre Jason Shoemark forced to become the third captain of the night.
"Obviously it was a huge blow and losing leadership like that doesn't help," Shoemark said.
"In the second half we went to sleep but the boys fought back brilliantly at the end there."
Shoemark could do little as his pack lost a number of lineouts, forcing the Highlanders to spend long periods in their territory.
A team fielding five newcomers to Super 14 rugby fought back splendidly from 19-30 down and prop King and hooker Rutledge looked like they had secured a remarkable home win but instead they had to settle for two bonus points.
The Highlanders burst from the blocks in the sixth minute with a classy try to centre Jason Shoemark set up by a break from midfield partner Johnny Leota.
It was 12-0 when a quick tap by Cowan set up an overlap for winger Fetu'u Vainikolo after neat link play from fullback Israel Dagg.
The try of the match rounded out a breathless opening quarter from the hosts.
First five-eighth Daniel Bowden received the ball 75m out, chipped the defensive line, regathered and stepped fullback Mark Gerrard before outpacing the cover defence for a genius individual try.
The Brumbies kept the composure, responding through a charging Mortlock off a neat attacking scrum move.
Gerrard converted and landed a penalty as the visitors gathered momentum which carried into the second half.
Mortlock spun, then carried three defenders over for his second try soon after the break and a Gerrard penalty reduced the margin to one.
They were in front when centre Adam Ashley-Cooper galloped over after a neat break from Lealiifano and Mortlock turned provider when a cutout pass sent Gerrard under the crossbar.
Shoemark said his team paid for their leaky defensive line.
"We've got heaps of attacking ability, we scored plenty of tries in the pre-season. It's just our defence, we can't let teams like the Brumbies back in. We had them on the ropes."
- NZPA
