Highlanders edge Cheetahs for away win

AWAY WIN: Michael Hobbs celebrates after scoring

Highlanders edge Cheetahs for away win

By MARC HINTON - Stuff.co.nz

Highlanders Super 14 action

That man Michael Hobbs was at it again, but this week the try-scoring exploits of their star five-eighths promoted the Highlanders to a much-needed Super 14 victory over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

After two near misses through the opening fortnight, Jimmy Cowan and his Highlanders were desperate to get their show on the road as they began their three-game road trip in South Africa.

And that desperation was rewarded as the Highlanders secured a vital 31-24 upset victory over the Cheetahs, their first win of the season and a thoroughly deserved result for the gritty South Islanders.

Hobbs, who has been the revelation of the season for the Highlanders, again played a key role and his 72nd-minute try - his fourth in three matches this campaign - proved a matchwinner for his side.

The Highlanders were actually unlucky not to pick up a bonus point as they pounded the Cheetahs' line at the finish in search of their fourth try. It looked for all money as though Adam Thomson had brushed the line with the ball, but the TMO ruled against them - much to the chagrin of the All Black flanker.

That decision contrasted sharply to the two borderline TMO decisions that had gone in the Cheetahs' favour in the second half, with flankers Heinrich Brussouw and Juan Smith both awarded touchdowns more on suspicion than any video evidence.

Still, in the end a pretty committed and urgent Highlanders outfit were happy to at last have secured a win, after they'd been a shade unlucky in defeats to the Crusaders (away) and Blues (home).

"That's a pleasing result," noted skipper Jimmy Cowan. "We were desperate going in, and we felt we'd been a bit unlucky the last two weeks."

Cowan also paid tribute to the contributions that keep coming from Hobbs, who had two tries off the bench against the Crusaders and another against the Blues. "The Butcher, eh, he's a special character and playing well," added Cowan with a grin.

The Highlanders scored the only two tries of the first half to lead 15-9 at the break. Centre Kendrick Lynn was over after just a half-dozen minutes as the visitors worked through nine phases and Clint Newland popped a nice pass to his midfielder for the finish.

And a dozen minutes from the break wing Fetu'u Vainikolo couldn't believe his luck when the ball squeezed out of a ruck, giving him an unobstructed 70m run to the line.

Two Hobbs penalties extended the Highlanders' lead to nine early in the second spell, but when Brussow was awarded that contentious try just shy of the third quarter the Cheetahs were right back in it, at 19-21.

That's when Hobbs struck. Soon after Israel Dagg had slotted a penalty, the in-form five-eighth finished a sweeping move he started when he sliced through off a Thomson offload. Jason Shoemark had gone close, and Hobbs was able to drive over from the ruck near the line.

At 31-19 the game looked safe for the Highlanders, though when Smith was awarded another shady try, powering through two or three tackles off a scrum move three minutes out, it raised home hopes of sneaking something out of the match.

Instead it was the Highlanders who pushed for the final say, winning the restart and looking as though they'd sneaked their impressive No 8 across as they tapped and went from close. But this time the TMO erred on the side of caution and decided not to award the score.

Hobbs had another busy, bustling match for the Highlanders, while Dagg, Lynn and Jason Shoemark also got through a ton of work in a fairly free-flowing encounter.

Up front the Highlanders were led, as usual, by Thomson, while the plan of playing two mobile flankers also worked a treat as Alando Soakai and John Hardie got around the park well. The visitors also competed well at the set piece and got plenty out of their busy hooker Jason Rutledge.

The classy Brussouw and Smith were the pick of the Cheetahs who failed to back up on their upset over the Sharks last week, but they were always chasing this game against a Highlanders side who took their chances the better.

Cheetahs 24 (Heinrich Brussouw, Juan Smith tries; Naas Olivier 4 pens con),

Highlanders 31 (Kendrick Lynn, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Michael Hobbs tries; Hobbs 3 pens, con; Israel Dagg pen, con).

Ht: 9-15.

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