Highlanders 10 Chiefs 14
Wing Lelia Masaga was the difference in this Super 14 arm-wrestle which left the Highlanders lamenting and the Chiefs relieved after their second consecutive victory.
There was little in the contest until Masaga broke the impasse with his brilliant individual try 15 minutes from the end.
The Highlanders missed 18 tackles in the match, eight on Masaga, and that about says it all. He seems set to fulfil the promise he has displayed in previous seasons.
The Chiefs, traditionally slow starters, now have some momentum although captain Mils Muliaina was not especially impressed with the quality of his team's play.
But he praised the younger players in his side and said the Chiefs wanted to continue their improvement against the Blues in Hamilton next weekend.
Muliaina himself was an influential figure after a three-week injury layoff although he conceded his lungs were tested by the rousing contest.
For the Highlanders, it was more of the same, their third loss by seven or fewer points in five games.
They are experts in collecting losing bonus points, but not so efficient in closing out close games.
"We're very disappointed," captain Jimmy Cowan said. "We came here with high hopes."
All Black flanker Adam Thomson and right wing Ben Smith were standouts in a Highlanders side which remained in touch until the end but, as has been so often the case in the past, was unable to deliver the knockout punch. Invercargill, so often maligned for its weather, produced a fine and almost calm night and the Highlanders, although playing a home game, wore their maroon away strip to get the Southland faithful in the spirit.
There were five Southlanders in the starting lineup - a far cry from the early days when there was only a token Southlander in Otago-dominated sides - and two more on the bench.
There was early cheer for the Highlanders when, from a rock-solid scrum, Ben Smith made a neat incision from the right wing, floated a long pass and left wing Fetu'u Vainikolo used his pace to score in the corner.
But the Chiefs struck back after 25 minutes when Muliaina initiated an attack from inside his own half which ended with No 8 Liam Messam propping inside a tackle and diving over for the try.
The remainder of the spell was notable for the sin-binnings of Highlanders' hooker David Hall and Muliaina, both for offences at the breakdown.
The Highlanders had 58 per cent territorial advantage in the first half but some of that was negated by handling errors, 10 to the five made by the Chiefs. Wing Lelia Masaga had been a constant danger for the Chiefs and only desperate tackles from Adam Thomson and Daniel Bowden prevented him from capitalising.
The Chiefs went to their trump cards on the bench 10 minutes into the second spell, Brendon Leonard replacing Toby Morland at halfback, Sione Lauaki beefing up the loose trio and Hika Elliot coming on at hooker in place of Aled de Malmanche.
Muliaina, who maintained a high workrate in his comeback match, almost scored 16 minutes into the half from a chargedown, Vainikolo just getting back to force for a 22 dropout after a desperate foot-race.
The second spell stalemate was finally broken after 21 minutes when Bowden kicked a regulation penalty from 22 metres and almost in front after Messam was pinged for flopping over the ball at the breakdown.
Masaga, who had threatened throughout, scored a game-breaking try after 25 minutes when , after good leadup work from Dwayne Sweeney and Leonard, he beat four tacklers to score in the corner.
Donald's conversion from near touch put the Chiefs in front, 14-10, for the first time.
The Highlanders mounted 23 phases as they battered the Chiefs line five minutes from the end but the attack ended when referee Matt Goddard blew a free kick against them.
Highlander 10 (Fetu Vainikolo try, Daniel Bowden con, pen); Chiefs 14 (Liam Messam, Lelia Masaga tries, Stephen Donald 2 cons).
