Rugby: Highlanders upset Waratahs' top-four plans

Highlanders flanker Alando Soakai. Photo / Getty Images

The Highlanders revelled in their role as spoilers to upset the Waratahs 26-10 in a Super 14 rugby match in Invercargill tonight.

The Waratahs were widely expected to push their way into the top four with victory tonight but instead found themselves outplayed by a Highlanders side belying their lowly 12th placing.

The Highlanders thrived in difficult, cold, wet and windy conditions to snatch just their third win of the season and at least stall their Sydney-based rivals' promotion to a playoffs spot.

They tailored their tactics superbly to suit the conditions, defending stoutly throughout and eschewing the wider flanks to concentrate on punching holes in the fifth-placed Waratahs defensive lines in and around the rucks.

It worked a treat as the Highlanders had their noses in front 12-10 at halftime after an outstanding performance from their forwards battling into a strong wind.

They outmuscled the Waratahs around the fringes and had much the better of the close quarter exchanges, piecing together a series of pick and drives which ate up huge chunks of territory.

Hooker Jason Rutledge and the loose forward trio of No 8 Steven Setephano, Adam Thompson and Alando Soakai were prominent as the home side made light of the difficult conditions, repeatedly turning the visitors on their heels with short, sharp incisions around the rucks and mauls.

Soakai and Thompson accounted for their first-half tries, Soakai after forcing his way across the line from a 5m scrum and Thompson after accepting a wide pass from a ruck by halfback Jimmy Cowan.

The Waratahs took 20 minutes to get into the game and show a semblance of ball control but proved how dangerous they could be at 3-12 down when fullback Kurtley Beale scored a try in the 33rd minute after finding space off an in-pass from second five-eighth Berrick Barnes.

But the Highlanders made much the better start after the break, quickly extending their lead to 20-10 after Thompson scored his second try and first five-eighth Mat Berquist added a penalty. Thompson's second five-pointer in the 46th minute came after he was on hand to take the final pass from lock Josh Bekhius, who had been given space down the right-hand touchline after fullback Israel Dagg slipped a tackle on the short side.

More pressure and field position led to another two penalties to Berquist as the Highlanders stretched their advantage further, leaving the Waratahs to chance their arm in unhelpful conditions.

Highlanders 26 (Adam Thompson 2, Steven Setephano tries; Mat Berquist 3 pen, Israel Dagg con) Waratahs 10 (Kurtley Beale try; Daniel Halangahu pen, con). Halftime: 12-10.

- NZPA