Blues hold off Highlanders in Dunedin
Article Published: Friday 19 February 2010
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The Blues held off a late Highlanders charge with Rene Ranger in the sin-bin to retain the Gordon Hunter trophy as they beat the Highlanders 15-19 at Carisbrook in Dunedin on Friday.
Fifteen minutes earlier the Blues had the Highlanders under pressure at their tryline with an extra man as Highlanders Josh Bekhuis was in the sin bin.
The Highlanders managed to hold the Blues out and did not concede a point while Bekhuis was in the bin which gave them confidence to mount their comeback.
Fullback Paul Williams who was making his first start for the Blues scored two tries against his old side - one in each half.
Blues winger Rene Ranger, whom Williams displaced in the starting 15, came off the bench to score a try but was later sin-binned in a match punctuated by penalties.
Highlanders flyhalf Michael Hobbs scored his third try in two matches, while Israel Dagg also scored a try and kicked a penalty.
"We know how hard it is to come down here to Carisbrook - it's probably one of the toughest games in Super 14, so we're really delighted with the result," Blues captain Keven Mealamu said.
Williams, son of the All Blacks great Bryan Williams, scored a try after only eight minutes during early Blues domination.
The Blues, 1-1 for the season, worked an overlap on the right-hand flank and poor Highlanders defense gave Williams a try, converted from the sideline by flyhalf Stephen Brett.
Highlanders who have now lost both of their matches this season responded with a try to Dagg, engineered by James Patterson who made a sharp midfield break.
Patterson's long pass to Dagg gave space to the talented fullback who crashed through tackles to score.
The Highlanders were superior in lineouts and scrums, and their disruption of a Blues lineout led to Hobbs' try, as Blues prop Tony Woodcock lost possession.
Williams scored his second try 12 minutes into the second half, when his clearance from deep defense was partially charged down by the Highlanders but fell to the Blues players who had been put onside by the deflection.
Ranger scored four minutes later and the Blues led 19-12, a margin that survived late pressure from the Highlanders.
"We had a great first half didn't and we played pretty well but the Blues got a couple of soft tries in the second half," Highlanders captain Jimmy Cowan said.
"Hopefully if we play like that again we'll get a win pretty soon."
Final Score Highlanders 15 (12) Blues 19 (7)
Scorers
Highlanders
Tries - Israel Dagg, M Hobbs
Pen - Israel Dagg
Con - M. Hobbs
Drop -
Cards - Josh Bekhuis (63) Yellow
Blues
Tries - P.Williams 2, Rene Ranger
Pen -
Con - S Brett 2
Drop -
Cards - Rene Ranger (76) Yellow
Match Officials
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (NZ)
Ass. refs: Garratt Williamson (NZ), AN Other/Kane McBride (NZ)
TMO: Kane McBride /Josh Noonan (NZ)
Teams
Highlanders :1 Jamie Mackintosh ( vc ) , 2 Jason Rutledge , 3 Clint Newland , 4 Josh Bekhuis , 5 Tom Donnelly , 6 Adam Thomson , 7 Alando Soakai , 8 Steven Setephano , 9 Jimmy Cowan ( c ) , 10 Michael Hobbs , 11 James Paterson , 12 Jayden Hayward , 13 Jason Shoemark , 14 Ben Smith , 15 Israel Dagg
Reserves : 16. Jason Macdonald , 17. Chris King , 18. Hayden Triggs , 19. John Hardie , 20. Sean Romans 21. Robbie Robinson, 22. Fetu’u Vainikolo
Blues :15. Paul Williams , 14. Rudi Wulf , 13. Isaia Toeava , 12. Benson Stanley , 11. Joe Rokocoko , 10. Stephen Brett , 9. Alby Mathewson , 8. Viliami Ma’afu , 7. Serge Lilo , 6. Jerome Kaino , 5. Anthony Boric , 4. Kurtis Haiu , 3. John Afoa , 2. Keven Mealamu , 1. Tony Woodcock
Reserves: 16. Tom McCartney , 17. Charlie Faumuina , 18. Filo Paulo , 19. Peter Saili , 20. Chris Smylie , 21. Daniel Kirkpatrick , 22. Rene Ranger.
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