DUNEDIN - The Otago Highlanders were sweating - both from physical exertion and pure relief - after their hard-earned 27-20 win over the Sharks in the Super 12 rugby match at Carisbrook on Saturday night.
This was life in the raw for the Highlanders after their 50-13 demolition of Queensland theprevious week.
Both sides scored three tries, and in the final analysis, three missed kicks by Gaffie du Toit proved costly for the Sharks.
The Highlanders were never in control against the big Sharks pack, who from the opening stanzas showed they were intent on out-muscling their smaller opponent.
It was an error-riddled but engrossing match, made so by the fierce, bruising tackling which rattled the bones of the players of both sides.
Handling mistakes and turnovers were rife but many were caused by the sheer intensity of a game in which the Sharks were intent on redemption.
They started well and were ahead 10-0 after 14 minutes.
The Sharks still led at halftime, 13-10, but the turning point in the game came straight after the interval.
Du Toit was unable to take a difficult pass from Alcock, the Highlanders swarmed on to attack and Wilson had a clear run to the line.
Fourteen minutes from the end, a sharp sprint by substitute wing Rico Gear was followed by four quick phases and from the last, halfback Byron Kelleher spied a gap and raced through under the posts.
But the Sharks were not done for. Clinton van Rensburg, who replaced du Toit after the latter suffered a cut forehead, scored and converted after a sustained build-up and the margin had been reduced to seven points.
