Highlanders 39
Lions 29
For too long it was looking like the House of Self-Inflicted Pain.
Certainly too long for the Highlanders coaching staff and supporters, who watched in disbelieving silence for half an hour before the hosts began to recover their credibility.
When the almanacks are flipped over in years to come, the recorded 10-point victory will give no indication of how long the Highlanders took to get into this match and how long they battled to find some advantage.
The Lions were at the end of a gruelling five-game stretch away from home, when their resources and skills have been severely tested during an itinerary which has them without a win in this Super 14 campaign.
Perhaps they sniffed an upset last night until the Highlanders eventually found their blowtorch and discovered how to use it. They forced the Lions to yield a swag of penalties - including a penalty try and another decision that sent centre Walter Venter to the sinbin - and eventually placed a sleeper hold on the tourists.
It was a relief for the Highlanders with their second win of the season to go with an earlier triumph in Bloemfontein against the Cheetahs. It was a victory for the work of men like Adam Thomson, John Hardie, Israel Dagg and Kendrick Lynn who were consistent sparks in a flickering display.
The Highlanders began as though they had just come from a student pubcrawl. They were guilty of forward passes, dropped ball, poor scrums, running across field and penalty concessions. It was messier than a free beer night with the students at the Gardies.
The visitors latched on to the indecision and after several quality rolling mauls, shifted possession to the blindside where fullback Michael Killian slammed over in a double tackle. Master provocateur Carlos Spencer nailed the sideline conversion and added a haughty look at the locals in the terraces. Game on, he reckoned.
And it was. A scuffle from the restart allowed Israel Dagg a successful 40m penalty success before the Lions hit back with another good rolling maul. They threw a dozen players into a lineout, drove 15m and powered captain Cobus Grobbelaar across the whitewash.
The formula was so useful, they repeated it with the same effect. The Lions shunted the ball near the line and, when stopped, threw it to the backs where Spencer's double round provided a try for his left wing, Wigan Pekur.
The niggle carried on and referee Stu Dickinson hauled the captains and players out several times for lectures. Temperatures were simmering but the Highlanders, finally, after half an hour doused some of the Lions ire with a great try from halfway.
Centre Kendrick Lynn broke and flanker John Hardie delivered the initial support before captain Jimmy Cowan fed lock Hayden Triggs who banged over by the posts.
Bingo, the hosts were back in the game - and they should have nailed the lead before the halftime oranges when tighthead prop Clint Newland eyed the line from close range instead of passing to spare teammates. However Dagg belted over a few more penalties and remarkably, after such a sluggish start to the match, the Highlanders had a five-point advantage. Their coaching staff should have swabbed them to identify the magic elixir.
Highlanders 39: H Triggs, K Lynn tries, pen try; I Dagg 6 pen, 3 con
Lions 29: M Killian, C Grobbelaar, W Pekeur 2, JP Joubert tries; C Spencer con, E Rose con
Halftime: 22-17
ADAMS ARGUMENTS:
He likes a chat does Adam Thomson, and last night he had time for ample conversations with referee Stu Dickinson.
Like every breakaway, Thomson believes he is always in the right, but a video replay will show him - clearly - just where and how he transgressed. He was fiesty too, indulging in several push 'n' shoves while his form was also hot.
His pace, accuracy and support play was top drawer and an encouraging pointer for the All Blacks.
