The Otago Highlanders banked a crucial bonus point as they ran in five tries in a substantial 39-21 victory over the Western Stormers in Dunedin on Saturday.
After the Stormers scored first, the Highlanders replied with 31 unanswered points to have the game secure before the South African side found the line again.
Waisake Naholo scored twice and his fellow Fijian wing Patrick Osborne also touched down along with Aaron Smith and Dan Pryor.
Photo: AFP
Juan de Jongh scored two for the Stormers, while Michael Rhodes got one.
It was a disappointing start to a tough Australasian road trip for the Stormers and took the gloss off celebrations for Springbok great Schalk Burger making his 100th Super appearance for the Stormers.
The South African franchise, who next face the unbeaten Wellington Hurricanes and then defending champions NSW Waratahs, needed points to get their journey off on the right foot.
Photo: AFP
They made the best possible start when De Jongh, leading the side in place of the rested Duane Vermeulen, scored first to finish a long Stormers build up.
However, while the Stormers dominated the set pieces and territory, the breaks went the Highlanders’ way.
“We took the most of our opportunities,” Highlanders captain Ben Smith said. “The Fijian brothers out wide did some very good work. The forwards played really well and matched it with the big, physical Stormers pack.”
After the Stormers’ first try, the Highlanders struck back with Aaron Smith dotting down against the front of the right-hand upright when his way to the tryline was blocked.
Lima Sopoaga converted, got a penalty and then two more conversions as Naholo ran in two tries in the countdown to halftime.
For his first try Naholo intercepted a De Jongh pass and ran 60m to the line and for his second he crashed over Stormers fullback Cheslin Kolbe, who is much shorter and 17kg lighter.
Osborne scored the bonus-point try early in the second half to put the Highlanders up 31-7 before Rhodes replied for the Stormers.
With the gap down to 17 points and 20 minutes left, the opportunity was there for the Stormers to stage a comeback.
However, a sustained attack was held up by a determined defense before the Highlanders broke out for Pryor to score their fifth try.
De Jongh replied with his second try, but by then the game was well beyond the Stormers and replacement flyhalf Marty Banks had the final say for the Highlanders with a late penalty.
In Hamilton, the Chiefs scored a bonus-point 37-27 win over South Africa’s Cheetahs to pull within three points of the Hurricanes.
Waikato scored their first of four tries in the opening five minutes, while All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden added 17 points with three penalties and four conversions. Former Springboks flanker Heinrich Brussow scored two tries for the Cheetahs.
In Sydney, the Auckland Blues showed some fight for under-fire coach John Kirwan, but ultimately fell to a seventh successive defeat, 23-11 to Super Rugby champions the New South Wales Waratahs.
Scrumhalf Nick Phipps and replacement Peter Betham scored tries and flyhalf Bernard Foley kicked 13 points as the Waratahs collected their fourth win of the campaign to leave the Blues still searching for their first victory.
Two Dan Bowden penalties sent the Blues in at halftime only a point back at 7-6 after some tough tackling.
Francis Saili scored a try in the 53rd minute after the Waratahs failed to cope with a high clearance kick and a neat offload from Charles Piutau sent the inside center over.
Foley and the Waratahs responded with three penalties after pinning the Blues back in their own half and applying pressure in the right areas.
The hosts denied Kirwan’s side a losing bonus point in the final five minutes when Betham finished a nice move, including a Will Skelton offload, to cross for the second try.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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