Fortunately for them, the lowly Rebels weren’t any better, and a mindless penalty concession well after the hooter had sounded presented Gilbert with a straightforward shot to win the game.
“It’s so handy having someone like him who can kick it from anywhere,” Highlanders captain Billy Harmon told Sky Sport. “He’s come up clutch and done an awesome job.”
Gilbert’s accuracy from the tee saw his side match the four-win tally that last season secured a spot in the postseason, while ending a five-match losing streak that threatened to sink this campaign.
“It’s been a while so it was awesome to get that done and now we can just keep moving,” Harmon said. “We could’ve put it away a lot earlier; we could have done a lot of things better. But the aim of the game at the moment is to get wins and that’s what we’ve done.”
The Highlanders had been without one in their last three games against Australian teams, struggling in that section of the schedule unlike their Kiwi cohort.
They will now host the Reds next weekend knowing another positive result could be enough to seal a quarter-final berth ahead of their final-round trip to the Blues.
Their path to the playoffs looked like it could become much more complicated today as they battled to convert their possession and field position into points.
The tone was set in the opening exchanges as the Highlanders had no issue putting together phases but, with Gilbert somewhat curiously adjudged to have been held up, lacked a clinical edge to put away their opponents.
Connor Garden-Bachop eventually made the breakthrough — albeit with a hint of a knock on in the build-up — but the Rebels quickly struck back as Richard Hardwick finished off a well-worked set play from a lineout.
There was further doubt about the Highlanders’ second, with Ethan de Groot’s strength unquestioned but his grounding much more suspect, yet the hosts nonetheless headed to halftime with a narrow advantage.
Turnovers were an issue throughout the half as the Rebels caused problems at the breakdown and, with Stacey Ili’s try levelling the scores after the break, better care was needed for the Highlanders to save their season.
The Rebels, too, were in desperate need of victory, and conservative play crept into both sides to hinder what had already been a dour encounter.
Reece Hodge’s penalty put the visitors ahead with 20 minutes to play but it was their own poor discipline that would prove pivotal.
An accumulation of offences left the Rebels to play the last 10 minutes with 14 men and, after Andrew Kellaway doing brilliantly to deny James Lentjes what had appeared a match-winning try, Gilbert’s right boot would decide the contest.
Highlanders 20 (Connor Garden-Bachop, Ethan de Groot tries; Sam Gilbert 2 cons, 2 pens)
Rebels 17 (Richard Hardwick, Stacey Ili tries; Reece Hodge 2 cons, pen)
Halftime 14-7
