The Otago Highlanders yesterday set up a Super Rugby quarter-final meeting with the Auckland Blues by the narrowest of margins, after picking up a losing bonus point in their 31-30 defeat against the Melbourne Rebels to eke out a top eight finish.
The result means the Highlanders end the season level on 23 points with the Western Force, but advance to the knockout rounds by virtue of a better points aggregate than the Perth-based side, and are to take on the Blues in Auckland next week.
“It’s obviously bittersweet, but we made it in,” the Highlanders’ Aaron Smith said.
Photo: AFP
“At the start of the season if they said you’d be playing in the playoffs you’d take that,” he added. “We scraped in, but we’ve just got to put all our energy and focus into getting better for next week.”
The Highlanders were in control in the opening 20 minutes, with Rory van Vugt’s third minute dive over the line putting the New Zealanders in front before they extended their lead when Marty Banks’ kick eventually set up Josh Dickson to score.
Jordan Uelese’s try finished off an effective rolling maul to pull the Rebels back into the game, and the lead was cut to a single point when Glen Vaihu scored after intercepting Smith’s pass five minutes before the break.
Banks’ penalty gave the Highlanders a four-point half-time advantage only for tries from Nick Jooste and Lukas Ripley to turn the match on its head as the Rebels went eight points in front.
The Highlanders moved back to within three points when Marino Mikaele-Tu’u’s driving run opened up the Rebels defense and his offload allowed Folau Fakatava to score.
Fakatava was pivotal again as the Highlanders reclaimed the lead, bursting through the Rebels’ defense to give his side good field position ahead of Fetuli Paea crossing the line.
The Rebels, who knew they had no chance of progressing to the next phase, were not finished and went back in front with five minutes remaining as Young Tonumaipea latched onto Joe Powell’s clever kick to seal the win.
The Highlanders’ progress completes the quarter-final line-up, which also sees the Canterbury Crusaders host the Queensland Reds on Friday.
The New South Wales Waratahs travel to take on the Waikato Chiefs next weekend, while the ACT Brumbies face off against the Wellington Hurricanes.
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