All Blacks number eight Sione Lauaki scored a vital second-half try for the Waikato Chiefs Saturday on their way to a 16-13 win over the Otago Highlanders in Super 14 rugby.
Lauaki’s 62nd-minute try, a reward for a sustained and bruising performance, separated the teams, giving breathing space to the Chiefs who led by one point for 14 minutes and three points for 16 minutes in a tight second half.
The Chiefs scored the only try of the first half through winger Sosene Anise and added two penalties from flyhalf Stephen Donald to lead 11-3 at half-time.
They dominated the first 40 minutes and attacked relentlessly, but could take no more than a single try against grudging and physical Otago defence.
Otago stunned the Chiefs with a try against the run of play to start the second half and Ben Blair’s conversion cut the lead to one point, 11-10, where it remained for 14 minutes before Lauaki’s try.
The number eight’s storming runs in general play constantly tested the Otago defence and it was appropriate he was on hand to crash over the line in the 62nd minute after brilliant lead-up work by All Blacks winger Sitiveni Sivivatu.
Donald missed the conversion, his only miss of the night, and the Chiefs led by five points for two minutes before Blair closed the gap with a penalty, his third goal from as many attempts.
The margin remained three points for the last 16 minutes of the match, but the Chiefs, under constant pressure, held their nerve to close out a win that left them near the middle of a crowded table.
”I think we had some pretty interesting tactics in taking them on up front and I actually think we got the better of them in that area,” said former All Blacks flanker Marty Holah, who led the Chiefs for the first time.
”Their try at the start of the second half was a blow. One lapse and they really hurt us, but we pulled together,” Holah said. ”We didn’t want to be debriefing on Monday and talking about the one that got away.”
Both sides ran hard at the defensive line but they yielded only once for the Chiefs, to give up a try to Callum Brown, and twice for the Highlanders.
”Unforced errors really killed us,” said Highlanders captain Anton Oliver. ”We’re a little angry at ourselves at the mistakes.
”We were making so many, a bit of self-doubt crept in, but we just said we had to go hard, and scoring first in second half was the best thing for us.” — Sapa-AP