Chiefs lock Josh Lord passes the ball at Forsyth Barr Stadium. Photo / Getty Images
The Chiefs have laid down the marker early in the Super Rugby Pacific season with a second away derby win, beating the Highlanders 26-23 in Dunedin.
Bridesmaids the last three seasons, the Chiefs look set to be the ones to beat after taking control in the final quarter, following a tight tussle for the opening hour.
With a forward pack boasting the likes of All Blacks Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson, Simon Parker, Samisoni Taukei’aho and Josh Lord – the Chiefs look a powerful threat. That title – favourites tag will be tested next weekend when they host the Crusaders in a rematch of last year’s final.
It was the Chiefs’ eighth straight win over the Highlanders but shouldn’t damage the credentials of Jamie Joseph’s side that looked a good chance at upsetting last year’s finalists in back-to-back weeks, although a late try did flatter the scoreline somewhat.
The Highlanders, coming off a 25-23 win over the Crusaders, opened the scoring in just the third minute from a well-constructed try.
Off one of many power runs by Timoci Tavatavanawai, halfback Folau Fakatava sent a flat pass wide to Lucas Case, who ran free out wide before finding Caleb Tangitau on his inside, who quickly went wide again to Jona Nareki to mark his 50th Highlanders game with the opening try. Cameron Millar converted to make it 7-0.
Only six minutes later the Chiefs hit back the best way they know how, with a rolling maul resulting in Samisoni Taukei’aho falling over the line before a Josh Jacomb conversion levelled the scores.
Jacomb, who had another strong outing, was lucky to escape a yellow for an intentional knock-on inside his own 22.
In the 33rd minute, the Highlanders had a great chance to take the lead. Attacking on the tryline and with numbers out wide, Millar decided to kick wide to a chasing Sean Withy. The loose forward just couldn’t bring the ball in. But quick thinking by Quinn Tupaea turned a possible seven points at one end into seven down the other.
The All Blacks midfielder did a short goal-line dropout to himself, ran free to halfway, brought in a defender and handed the ball to Leroy Carter, who finished off the length-of-the-field try.
The Chiefs had a chance to extend their 14-7 lead just before the break but the Highlanders defence held strong and forced a knock-on.
Two Millar penalties to start the second half cut the Chiefs’ advantage to 14-13 and the Highlanders threatened to take the lead, before Lord ran more than 50m and passed to a supporting Vaa’i, before Nareki was yellow-carded for a professional foul by holding on to Vaa’i.
The Chiefs couldn’t convert the attacking chance, with Taukei’aho denied from the back of a rolling maul when reserve halfback Adam Lennox held him up.
The Highlanders only just survived the 10 minutes down a man when a kick into the in-goal area bounced awkwardly and into the path of Parker but the technical match official (TMO) said he failed to ground it.
But only moments after Nareki ran back on the field, a lineout from their own 5m line went over the intended man, with the ball tipped by Oliver Haig towards Taukei’aho, who pounced on the loose ball and dived over for a second try, making it 21-13 with 18 minutes left.
Five minutes later, the Chiefs turned down a chance at three points and it proved the correct call when Kaylum Boshier dived over from close range.
Down 26-13, the Highlanders weren’t out of it. Tangitau scored a great solo try from 48m out but the missed conversion left them eight points down with less than four minutes to play. That proved vital, as Veveni Lasaqa scored after the hooter in what was a consolation try.
The defeat means the Highlanders haven’t won consecutive derby matches since June 2018 – a run of 67 matches.