The Otago Highlanders overcame the loss of a player for most of the second half on Saturday to score a comeback 29-28 Super 12 rugby win over the New South Wales Waratahs.
The Highlanders played all but four minutes of the second half with only 14 men after lock Felipo Levi was sent off for throwing an elbow to opponent lock Justin Harrison’s head.
The Highlanders were down 28-7 early in the second half but fought back to take the lead with five minutes to go when skipper Anton Oliver charged over with his entire pack crashing over the top of him.
Waratahs centre Matt Burke could have won the match with a 30-metre penalty attempt from straight in front in the final minute. But it rebounded off the posts and the Highlanders were able to clear the ball into touch.
It was a huge dent in the hopes of the Waratahs for a Super 12 semifinal as a win would have edged them much closer up the leaderboard and a possible home semifinal. They are now not sure of a semifinal place with one round to play.
The Highlanders started strongly but the Waratahs scored first when flyhalf Shaun Berne kicked a penalty.
By halftime, penalties had made the difference with Berne kicking three, including two in the last 10 minutes after promising Highlanders winger Matt Saunders and Waratahs flanker Simon Kasprowicz had traded tries.
The Highlanders suffered a major blow early in the second half when locks Levi and Harrison exchanged blows. South African touch judge Tappe Henning told referee Shaun Veldsman that Levi had started it by throwing an elbow at Harrison’s head.
The Highlanders man was sent off with a red card, while Harrison received a yellow one for retaliation.
Winger Scott Staniforth scored soon after for the Waratahs but the Highlanders recovered from the setback to score a try after a sustained attack when replacement fullback Glen Horton flicked a deft pass to Saunders, who clinched a double for the match. Tony Brown converted.
With 13 minutes to go, after some sustained link work between backs and forwards, replacement No. 8 Sam Harding charged through to score.
Brown missed an easy conversion but was on target shortly afterwards with a penalty after touch judge Henning again intervened, this time over a Waratahs infringement.
The Highlanders charged forward again and Oliver scored as a rolling maul stormed over the Waratahs line.
When the referee signaled advantage for a Highlanders’ indiscretion with two minutes to go, Burke tried to snap over a field goal with his left foot but it missed. And then the ball rebounded off the upright when he tried again from the resulting penalty.
Scores:
Otago Highlanders 29 (Matt Saunders 2, Sam Harding, Anton Oliver tries; Tony Brown 3 conversions, penalty) def. New South Wales Waratahs 28 (Simon Kasprowicz, Morgan Turinui, Scott Staniforth tries, Matthew Burke 2 conversions, penalty; Shaun Berne two penalties). – Sapa-AP