Chiefs overpowered by spirited Highlanders

A charge down and recovery from Highlanders' replacement hooker Jason Rutledge lead to the Chiefs' suffering a season opening 23-19 loss in Hamilton last night.

Leading for most of the match Chiefs' first-five Aaron Cruden had his clearing kick charged down by Rutledge who recovered the ball and passed it to a flying Phil Burleigh who sprinted 15m to score in the corner.

Chiefs' coach Dave Rennie has several injury concerns to deal with before the home game against the Blues in five day's time.

Of most concern for Rennie will be losing props Ben Afeaki (broken arm) and his replacement Toby Smith (calf strain). Adding to Rennie's injury woes are Brendon Leonard (hamstring) and Lelia Masaga (knee).

Rennie said the Chiefs were out muscled by a fired-up Highlanders pack and would need to rectify this before Friday.

Highlanders' coach Jamie Joseph has injury concerns of his own with first-five Chris Noakes hobbling off the field with an ankle injury.

The visitors were the first to get points on the board after the home side were pinged in the first maul from the kickoff and Noakes made easy work of the 22m kick near the sideline.

However, Chiefs soon replied with a Cruden penalty after the home side secured the ball from the kickoff rolled it forward putting pressure on the visitors who cracked infringing at the ruck right in front of their goal post and only 20m out.

With only seven minutes on the clock both sides decided to settle it down and looked to get on top of their opponents and it was the Highlanders who looked the better side with Jimmy Cowan directing his pack around the pack and giving Noakes front foot ball. He nailed his second penalty right in front of the home side's post when Chiefs' captain Liam Messam was caught offside at the ruck to take the score to 6-3.

But it was the Chiefs who grabbed the first try in the 14^th minute, after Hika Elliot found some space on the outside and dashed 20m fed to Cruden who found Richard Kahui who set the ruck. The Chiefs found a rampaging Sonny Bill Williams who was pulled down 5m short. Quick recycled ball gave Lelia Masaga some space and he carried three Highlander players over the line next to the post, for Cruden to convert.

It became a tight tussel for the next 10 minutes with neither side able to gain ascendency, then with the Highlanders on attack Fritz Lee flopped on top of an attacking Highlander and Noakes made easy work of the penalty infront of the posts and 10m out to take the score to 10-9 to the Chiefs.

The Chiefs spent the next four minutes defending a Highlander onslaught and were rewarded for their efforts when they turned the Highlanders ball over worked it back up the field. Cruden then decided to take the aerial route with a charging Masaga smashing Highlanders fullback Ben Smith to gain a penalty 40m out for Cruden to put it between the posts to extend the lead to 13-9.

After some slick offloads from Sonny Bill Williams and quick plays of the ball from the forwards, Cruden was soon in action again with the boot when the Highlanders were caught offside 10m. The penalty goal would mean the home side would go into the break 16-9.

 

With the loss of Ben Afeaki in the first half with a suspected broken arm, the Chiefs looked under pressure at times in the scrum, there was no better example of this than the Chiefs'' kick off after the break. The ball was knocked on by the Highlanders and the resulting scrum the home side were pushed off the ball resulting in a turn over to the Highlanders.

But the Chiefs dug deep and looked to keep the ball away from that particular set play and looked to pick and go and spin the ball through the hands.

Highlanders' halfback Jimmy Cowan was replaced early by Aaron Smith and shortly after this the Chiefs were the first to score again from a Cruden penalty 10minutes into the spell.

At the 15minute mark Masaga went down with what appeared to be a possible season ending knee injury and was soon joined by halfback Brendon Leonard who came hobbling off with a hamstring injury.

The injuries appeared to rattle the Chiefs and the visitors were in for their first try to replacement halfback Aaron Smith and for Noakes to convert to bring the score to 19-16 to the Chiefs.

The Highlanders took the lead about 10minutes from full time, after Jason Rutledge charged down and re-gathered a Cruden clearing kick. He past it on to Phil Burleigh who sprinted the 15m to score in the corner and for Noakes to convert to go 23-19.

At the 68minute mark the with the chant of "Chiefs" from the more than 12,000 in attendance. The home side turned down a kick at goal and went for a lineout play. However, the Chiefs failed to put points on the board and were eventually repelled by strong Highlanders' defence.

Noakes was replaced at the 74minute mark along with replacement prop Toby Smith with meant scrums reverted to golden oldies rules and the game drifted into a dower end.

Scorers: Chiefs 19 (Lelia Masaga try; Aaron Cruden 4 pens, 1 con) Highlanders 23 ( Aaron Smith, Phil Burleigh, tries; Chris Noakes 3 pens, 2 con) Halftime: 16-9.