KEY POINTS:
Lions 11 Highlanders 6
An opportunist try by winger Wylie Human proved the decisive act of another low-scoring Super 14 rugby encounter featuring the Highlanders who lost 6-11 to the Lions in Johannesburg today.
Human raced 40-metres unopposed for the only try of a dour, error-ridden spectacle at Ellis Park - appropriately after opposite Greg Zampach, on his Super rugby debut, directed a low clearing kick directly into his midriff 27 minutes into the second round clash.
The Highlanders at least salvaged a bonus point from the first leg of their trip to the Republic but hardly head to Durban and the unbeaten Sharks with any degree of confidence considering they rarely threatened to score other than penalties to Callum Bruce and Charlie Hore.
After surviving a 8-7 nail biter over the Western Force in Perth last weekend, the Highlanders again found themselves locked in a war of attrition over a side they had not lost to since 2003.
However, unlike last week the Lions were rugged and desperate enough to cling on for a rare victory on home soil -- and just the eighth success in 59 matches for the franchise previously known as the Cats.
Dominated territorially and in the possession stakes, the Highlanders scrambled well in defence, no more so than when halfback Jimmy Cowan succeeded in burrowing under Cobus Grobbelaar to deny the flanker a try two minutes into the second half.
Pivot Bruce also came to the rescue when he managed to bundle out fullback Louis Ludik in the corner as the Lions tried to add to their halftime score.
Despite those heroics, Bruce had a mixed outing highlighted by twice muffing restarts.
The Highlanders' try-scoring opportunities were few and far between and invariably undone by handling errors or indiscretions spotted by Australian referee Paul Marks.
Shortly after Human scored he almost turned villain when an ambitious dropped goal attempt was charged down and play back tracked to the Lions in-goal.
Gifted a 5m scrum, the Highlanders illustrated their lack of composure by botching a prime opportunity when Craig Newby's pass off the back of the set piece was grassed by second five-eighth Jason Kawau.
The Lions' ball security was also below par throughout although they could at least reflect on an impressive effort at scrum time where prop and man of the match Heinke van der Merwe was the stand out.
Yet for all their dominance, the Lions were unable to break the shackles even when given a one-man advantage after Highlanders wing Lucky Mulipola was justifiably sinbinned for a mistimed challenge as Jaco Pretorious was airborne attempting to field a high ball.
Mulipola departed temporarily in the 52nd minute but his side were not penalised further as Louis Strydom missed the resulting three-pointer -- one of three misses for the understudy to injured Springbok first five-eighth Andre Pretorius.
Hore's 67th minute penalty gave the Highlanders a sniff of victory but despite stringing together some phases and twice forcing attacking lineouts inside the Lions 22m zone, handling errors again blighted their raids.
On a positive note, the Highlanders appeared to emerge unscathed from the match although Newby was subbed shortly after landing heavily on his left shoulder.
While the Highlanders head to the coast to take on the competition leaders, the Lions stay at home to host the Crusaders in the first leg of the defending champions three-week road trip.
Lions 11 (Wylie Human try; Louis Strydom 2 pen)
Highlanders 6 (Callum Bruce pen, Charlie Hore pen).
Halftime: 11-3.
- NZPA
