Africa-Press – South-Africa. It went all the way to the last play of the game but the Hurricanes were able to hold off the Highlanders in a 22-21 win in Super Rugby Pacific at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The Dunedin crowd was left booing after the final whistle, though, as the TMO and referee ruled against a home try that would have given the Highlanders the win.
Instead, it was decided that Saula Ma’u had been held up after crashing over the line under a heavy challenge by Jordie Barrett and Asafo Aumua.
The on-field decision ruled there was no clear grounding and the TMO agreed to leave the frustrated Highlanders to stew as a dramatic contest came to a close.
Marty Banks opened the scoring for the Highlanders with a sixth-minute penalty but their slender advantage was very short-lived.
Less than two minutes later, Bailyn Sullivan showed quick feet to cut inside James Lentjes before offloading to Scott Gregory, who slipped through Hugh Renton’s tackle before turning on the afterburners to beat Aaron Smith to the line.
Barrett knocked over the conversion to make it 7-3 to the Canes.
Connor Garden-Bachop got ever so close to scoring the Canes’ second try but Renton got back brilliantly to knock the ball out of his hands in the tackle over the line.
Proceedings took a turn for the worse in the 20th minute for the Highlanders when Josh Dickson was shown a red card for a high tackle to the head of Tevita Mafileo.
The Hurricanes took full advantage a minute later with Jackson Garden-Bachop latching on to TJ Perenara’s pass before running into the open space on the wing and away for a try. Barrett’s conversion was good to make it 14-3.
Banks pulled three points back for the Highlanders with a 33rd-minute penalty before Asafo Aumua’s try was ruled out after the hooker was ruled to have been held up over the line by some wonderful last-ditch defending.
Barrett restored the Canes’ 14-point lead with a penalty in the 48th minute before things started to heat up around the 50-minute mark.
A strong driving maul from the Highlanders allowed Andrew Makalio to drop over the line with the ball. Banks missed the conversion to leave them trailing 16-11.
Banks made up for it a couple of minutes later with a penalty to bring them within three points.
The home side took the lead for the first time since the sixth minute of the game after a brilliant counterattack was capped off by Max Hicks crashing over the line shortly after the hour mark.
Banks conversion made it 21-17 but that wasn’t even close to being the end of the drama.
In the 74th minute, Aiden Morgan combined with Julian Savea at lineout time to set up his first career try after a lovely backline move. Barrett couldn’t convert but it was enough for a 22-21 lead for the Hurricanes.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
