Otago Highlanders hold off ACT Brumbies to secure 23-10 victory
By AFP
Last Updated: 30/04/16 12:19pm
Lima Sopoaga helped the Highlanders return to winning ways as they defeated the Brumbies 23-10 in a tough Super Rugby clash in Invercargill on Saturday.
Sopoaga scored 18 of the Highlanders' points, including three crucial penalties late in the game, while the home side's defence turned in a stubborn performance to keep the Brumbies at bay after they had continued to threaten their goal-line.
Both sides went into the game desperate to snap out of mid-season slumps.
The defending champion Highlanders had fallen off the pace with defeats to the Reds and the Sharks in their last two matches, while the Brumbies slipped to second in the Australian Conference when beaten by the Crusaders last week.
Despite the slippery ball resulting in handling errors, there was a willingness to play at pace, although points were not easy to come by in a closely contested first half.
The Brumbies, having tried and failed with three lineout drives when Sam Carter was penalised each time for obstruction, hit the front with a Christian Lealiifano penalty after 15 minutes.
It was not until the stroke of half-time, though, that the Highlanders turned the scoreboard to go into the break with a 7-3 lead.
A well-weighted Ben Smith kick forced the Brumbies onto their own line where they conceded a five-metre scrum and a long Aaron Smith pass put Sopoaga outside three defenders and he crossed unopposed for the try.
Smith then stretched the lead to 14-3 early in the second half when he touched down after Malakai Fekitoa fended off an attempted Tevita Kuridrani tackle.
But the Brumbies were not done and found the answer to their difficulties with the rolling maul by throwing to Carter in the lineout rather than use him as a block and the big lock duly obliged by winning the ball for hooker Josh Mann-Rea to score.
At 14-10 to the Highlanders with 30 minutes to play, the outcome was in the balance before a succession of infringements by the Brumbies allowed Sopoaga to stretch the difference to a comfortable and ultimately winning margin.