Super Rugby
Highlanders' power game too much for Stormers
ESPN Staff
March 28, 2015
Report Match details
Date/Time: Mar 28, 2015, 19:35 local, 06:35 GMT
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Highlanders 39 - 21 Stormers
Half-time: 24 - 7
Tries: Naholo 2, Osborne, Pryor, AL Smith
Cons: Sopoaga 4
Pens: Banks, Sopoaga
Tries: de Jongh 2, Rhodes
Cons: Catrakilis, Coleman 2
The Highlanders' Aaron Smith takes off for a run, Highlanders v Stormers, Dunedin, March 28, 2015
The Highlanders' Aaron Smith takes off for a run
© Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links

The Highlanders have hit back from last week's narrow loss to the Hurricanes with a powerful display against the Stormers at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The 39-21 victory was the Highlanders fourth in five matches and ensured they kept pace with New Zealand rivals, the Hurricanes and Chiefs. While the hosts' set-piece was at times shaky, the Stormers had few answers to the Highlanders' powerful ball-runners Waisake Naholo, Patrick Osborne and Malakai Fekitoa.

A mistake-riddled first 15 minutes saw both sides struggle with continuity while the whistle of referee Rohan Hoffman was also a constant. Highlanders fly-half Lima Sopoaga looked to break the shackles as he picked off an intercept and was left with just the fullback to beat, but a looping pass was put down by Naholo and a try went begging.

The Highlanders power over the Stormers 39-21 in Dunedin (Australia only)

It would be the Stormers with the first points of the match just before the first quarter elapsed. After a short period of quality phase ball, centre Juan de Jongh tipped the ball from the clutches of Naholo following a Schalk Burger pass, and eased over for a try.

But a horrible error from winger Dillyn Lleyds at the kick-off immediately gave the Highlanders the territory they needed to mount a response. Their first opportunity was spoiled by a knock-on but All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith wouldn't risk a similar situation a short while later as he picked up from the base of a ruck and touched down at the base of goalpost. Sopoaga's conversion restored the balance at 7-7 and it was probably a fair scoreline after a tight opening 25 minutes.

In what was fast becoming an arm wrestle, the Highlanders recognised the need to put points on the board with Sopoaga adding a penalty on 31 minutes. The kick-off again brought problems, this time for the Highlanders; but after securing possession, the Stormers offered up a second intercept opportunity that would cost them seven points. Centre Juan de Jongh was the culprit this time around as Naholo, who'd wasted the earlier chance, picked off the pass and sprinted 65 metres untouched to extend the lead out to 17-7.

Naholo wasn't going to be kept quiet from that point on. The winger had a double on the stroke of half-time as he scooped up a deflected Aaron Smith kick and rumbled straight over the top of Stormers fullback Cheslin Kolbe in a show of brute force. The sideline conversion made it 24-7 to the home side at the break.

Having come out of the sheds with all the momentum, the Highlanders just about had it all wrapped up nine minutes later. A period of dominance in both possession and territory eventually brought Osborne in looking for work and he powered over two Stormers defenders to secure the Highlanders a bonus-point try.

Waisake Naholo had a fine night out in Dunedin against the Stormers © Getty Images
Enlarge

The Stormers were going to need a bit of help if they were going to get back into the match and they received it in the form of a Highlanders yellow card; Aaron Smith given a 10-minute spell by referee Hoffman for a cynical breakdown infringement while the visitors were on the attack. The South Africans were denied once by the Highlanders defence as a rolling maul was held up over the line. But the one-man advantage took its toll on the hosts on 60 minutes as replacement Michael Rhodes rumbled over from close range.

Playing his 100th Super Rugby match, veteran back-rower Schalk Burger then produced a wonderful flick pass to send his side flying up field shortly after the re-start. But a try went begging as halfback Nic Groom failed to offload to a flying Kurt Coleman and the Highlanders managed a turnover at the following breakdown.

Any hope of a Stormers comeback was well and truly snuffed out eight minutes from time as the Highlanders punished the visitors on turnover ball. Chasing the game from inside their own half, the Stormers coughed up possession and, two phases later, Japanese halfback Fumiaki Tanaka found a flying Dan Pryor who ran 20 metres untouched for the home side's fifth try.

The visitors did pick up a consolation five-pointer in the 75th minute but it was too little, too late on a memorable evening for the Highlanders.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.