Flanker Adam Thomson and fullback Ben Smith shared five of seven tries as the Otago Highlanders rebounded from their first loss of the season to beat the Melbourne Rebels 43-12 in Super Rugby action yesterday.
The Highlanders took 32 minutes to score their first try through Smith after trailing 9-0, thanks to the reliable boot of Rebels flyhalf James O’Connor.
However, the home side ran in four tries in 14 minutes on either side of halftime to rush to a 24-12 lead to bank their first four-try bonus point of the season.
Otago have won five of six matches this season, but their previous highest winning margin was only four points. Their win yesterday, at their alternative home ground of Rugby Park in Invercargill, the southernmost city in New Zealand, took them temporarily to the top of the championship table in the first match of the sixth round.
Thomson scored his first try in the third minute of first-half stoppage-time to lock the halftime score at 12-12. He had his second three minutes into the second half as the Highlanders shook off the Rebels and began to build an unassailable lead.
He created a try for winger Kade Poki in the sixth minute of the second half, had another try disallowed when his foot nicked the touchline in the 68th minute, but claimed his hat-trick with a legitimate try two minutes later.
Thomson was part of the All Blacks’ winning Rugby World Cup squad last year, but his personal Cup campaign was wrecked by injuries. He now has the chance to establish himself as the All Blacks’ No. 1 blindside flanker in the absence of the incumbent, Jerome Kaino, who is heading to Japan when the Super Rugby season ends.
“It was good, I had a rest last week and I felt fresh this week. It went well,” Thomson said. “We just talked [at halftime] about building pressure. I think the Highlanders play best when we build phases, and wait for things to open up and not force too many passes.”
Otago played their trademark game of holding the ball through a long series of phases, stretching their opponents on one flank, then the other, then pressing the defense to breaking point.
Thomson touched down at the end of a long series of phases which kept the ball alive and stretched the first half to 43 minutes. He was scouting wide on the right flank when the Highlanders, having moved the Rebels out on the left, sent it back to that wing and gave him the final pass.
Thomson then ranged up on the left wing to score the first try of the second half after another sustained attack. Smith, up in the backline, handed him the final pass. He claimed the turnover that led to Poki’s try in the 46th minute, made by a kick into a defensive hole by scrumhalf Aaron Smith.
Jamie Mackintosh scored a try for the hardworking Highlanders tight forwards in the 58th minute, before Thomson added his third and the last of the match in the 70th. Smith was again a participant, taking the ball wide out and crashing infield through a series of tackles before handing the ball to Thomson near the goal line.
“Having a bit more patience and building the game, cutting those silly turnovers out and finishing off made all the difference,” Thomson said. “We couldn’t kick any goals, but we’re scoring points, so it’s good.”
O’Connor had no trouble kicking goals, moving past 50 points for the season and improving his success rate to 95 percent to provide the only Rebels scoring with four penalty goals.
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