Blues for Auckland as Highlanders win
Print Edition
The Otago Highlanders made a mockery of preseason predictions when they opened their 2014 Super Rugby campaign with a 29-21 bonus point win over the Auckland Blues in Dunedin yesterday.
Last year’s whipping boys of the New Zealand conference were expected to be at the bottom of the pile again, after losing a host of All Blacks in the offseason.
Instead, they scored four tries in a stunning opening encounter against the highly fancied Blues and with the bonus point find themselves heading the 2014 conference after the first round.
Scrumhalf Aaron Smith and center Malakai Fekitoa scored tries from Blues’ errors and flyhalf Lima Sopaga kicked two conversions and a penalty to give the Dunedin-based Highlanders a 17-0 lead after only 16 minutes.
Fullback Ben Smith added a try in the 39th minute to give the Highlanders a 24-0 lead at halftime and they needed every bit of that advantage to hold out the resurgent Blues in the second spell.
In Canberra, Australia, replacement Chris Feauai-Sautia scored a try three minutes from full time to clinch the Queensland Reds’ 27-17 win over the ACT Brumbies.
The Reds scored first-half tries through Lachie Turner and Aidan Toua to lead 17-9 at halftime but were under heavy defensive pressure throughout the second half which was only relieved by Feauai-Sautia’s late try.
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