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'Extremely proud' - How the Highlanders snapped their Super Rugby losing streak

Luke Whitelock (left) and Ben Smith, co-captains of the Highlanders, pose for a photo with the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy. (Photo by Rob Jefferies/Getty Images)

After almost two months without victory, the Highlanders have captured just their third win of the Super Rugby campaign against the Blues.

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Their 24-12 win at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin was a long time coming, as they had endured a run of five consecutive losses against fellow Kiwi opponents, relegating them to 14th place on the standings.

However, a couple of opportunistic tries to Shannon Frizell and Matt Faddes, both of which stemmed from intercepts, as well as a penalty try from a scrum five metres from the Blues’ tryline was enough to hand the home side the win, which is their first since their 36-31 victory over the Reds at the same venue on February 22.

It’s a result that means the Highlanders will lock away the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy for the seventh straight year, which will ease the pressure that was mounting on head coach Aaron Mauger, who didn’t shy away from expressing the pride he had of his side’s mental strength.

“[I’m] extremely proud,” he told RugbyPass.

“Proud of the resilience and fortitude of our team, not just tonight, but of over the last four or five weeks.

“It’s been challenging, but I think tonight’s performance is a reflection of how much our boys care about each other and how much they care about representing the Highlanders and the added privilege of playing for the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy.”

The same cannot be said for Blues head coach Leon MacDonald, whose side is now on a run of back-to-back losses after impressing with a four-match winning streak that catapulted them into a play-offs spot.

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Now, the Auckland-based club are in danger of dropping out of the top eight, and MacDonald credited that to a string of individual errors as the visitors conceding 19 turnovers.

“We turned over a lot of ball, and we weren’t able to build phases, really,” he said.

“Through that, we weren’t able to apply pressure, for long periods of time, and, especially in the second half, we were playing a lot of rugby in our own half when weren’t able to get possession as well, so that was on the back of handling errors and giving them opportunities just to stay down and keep the squeeze on us.

“They played their game really well, and we didn’t cope with it.”

The Blues will have a week off next week before turning their focus to the lowly Brumbies in Canberra, while the Highlanders, who now sit in 11th spot, face a difficult trip to Tokyo to face an exciting Sunwolves outfit.

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Although still placed last in the competition, they have proven to be difficult opposition at times through their enterprising play, as was seen in their close 29-23 loss to the Hurricanes on Friday.

It’s an assignment that Faddes, whose intercept try in the 56th-minute was his first of the season, is relishing, given the Sunwolves’ ties to Dunedin.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BweOQ3JgMmz/

“We head over to Tokyo tomorrow, and we’ll play a bloody good Sunwolves team,” he said.

“They’re playing some outstanding footy, and it’s a game style we’ve all seen, there’s definitely a Jamie [Joseph] and Brownie [Tony Brown] influence in there, so the boys will be looking forward to getting over there and looking to carry on a bit of momentum, that’s for sure.”

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Nickers 25 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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