KEY POINTS:
There was only one burning question left unanswered after the Brumbies cantered home at Carisbrook yesterday - where will the Highlanders find a forward pack next year?
Actually, they kind of needed one last night.
The Highlanders gave a curiously constricted display, devoid of much of the emotion
and spirit seen when the departing Brumbies farewelled their fans in Canberra by knocking off the favoured Crusaders last week.
As farewells go, this was a bit of a downer. Even without the rather bizarre sight of a group of grown men and women dressed as penguins come to farewell Anton Oliver (he is patron of the yellow-eyed penguin trust), there would have been a sombre mood yesterday.
Oliver, Josh Blackie, Filipo Levi, Carl Hayman, Clarke Dermody and (it's rumoured) Nick Evans are off to Europe or, in Evans' case, possibly another Super 14 franchise. For the Brumbies, it was goodbye to George ('four more years') Gregan, Stephen Larkham and hooker Jeremy Paul, also off to Europe.
It isn't true that Otago rugby folk are accosting citizens of larger than average size on the street and offering them contracts. But, with the entire front row and half the second row gone next year, the Highlanders' prospects seem, at this early stage, about as bleak as one of Dunedin's wintry blasts.
The Brumbies came to score a bonus point and enough tries for a decent points differential to keep their slim playoff hopes warm.
Larkham, perhaps the best passing first-five in Super rugby history, sparked the first try. After a drive by Jone Tawake, Larkham's superb pass gave the ball air, the receiver space, the defence a nightmare and fullback Julian Huxley scored.
It looked like most of the departing Highlanders had gone already when the Brumbies went out to 12-0 after 10 minutes with an Adam Ashley-Cooper try.
The powerful young winger ran from inside his 22 from the restart, brushing off limp tackles from James Wilson and Lucky Mulipola to score in the corner.
All three departing stars were involved in the next Brumbies try, to Stirling Mortlock, with Paul driving it up, Gregan clearing and Larkham again providing a sweet pass for a 22-3 halftime lead.
And that was pretty much that for this match. The Highlanders defended stoutly as the Brumbies went in search of a fourth-try bonus point but, on his swansong, Oliver was sin-binned for rucking.
Gregan had left at halftime with a rolled ankle and the sense of anti-climax was strong, even after a consolation try to centre Jason Kawau and as the Brumbies finally scored their bonus point try.
It came ages after the 80-minute mark and this almost became the Game That Wouldn't End before lock Mark Chisholm scored.
But, if the Bulls won overnight, it was all for nought.
Highlanders 10 (J. Kawau try, N. Evans con, pen) Brumbies 29 (J. Huxley, A. Ashley-Cooper, S. Mortlock, M. Chisholm, tries; S. Mortlock 2 con, pen, S. Larkham con). Halftime: 22-3.
