Super Rugby: Highlanders 15-9 Brumbies
Last Updated: 22/07/16 12:06pm
The Highlanders booked their place in the Super Rugby semi-finals with a 15-9 win against the Brumbies in Canberra.
In poor conditions the defending champions scored two tries to nil with Waisake Naholo and Liam Squire crossing the line. Lima Sopoaga added five points with the boot while Christian Leali'ifano kicked three penalties for the Brumbies.
The match started in heavy rain as both sides struggled to get going, with the Highlanders finally getting into their stride only for the Brumbies defence to hold firm.
That early pressure finally told as the Brumbies were penalised near their line and Lima Sopoaga kicked the Highlanders into an early lead. However, Brumbies fly-half Leali'ifano hit back with two of his own to make it 6-3.
The Highlanders kept pressing and eventually got their reward when winger Naholo dived over in the right corner to score the only try of the half. It was a double blow to the Brumbies, who went down to 14 men after Matt Toomua was yellow-carded for repeated team infringements. Sopoaga's conversion took the visitors into the break with a 10-6 lead.
Lealiifano narrowed the gap early in the second half with his third penalty but a Sopoaga interception led to No 8 Squire going over for the Highlanders' second try.
The Brumbies turned to their scrum to pile on the pressure but the Highlanders defence was superb and held them back. The home side thought they had scored when substitute Lausii Taliauli went over however the TMO could not confirm if he had grounded the ball or not.
With time running out, the Brumbies threw everything they had into attack, but the Highlanders soaked it all up and are on track for back-to back titles.
"We dug in over the last 15 minutes and showed good character," Otago skipper Shane Christie said. "It was always going to be difficult coming over here but we're stoked and we're in the semi-finals now and we look forward to the week ahead."
It was a despondent Brumbies camp, bowing out of the finals race and saying goodbye to three of their star Wallabies, skipper Stephen Moore, Matt Toomua and David Pocock, who will all be heading elsewhere next season.
"It's difficult not to comment on some of those refereeing decisions," Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said.
"For mine Lausii scored a try near the end and we had a dominant scrum all night and the ball has come out sideways in the final minutes and I cannot see how there is no penalty for that.
"It's really devastating because it's tough conditions tonight and we were behind on the scoreboard but we found a way back into the game and we did everything right to win it."