Super Rugby: Highlanders hold on to edge Jaguares

Sio Tomkinson of the Highlanders is congratulated after scoring a try. Photo / Photosport

In a Super Rugby season full of surprises, at least you can count on the Highlanders for a degree of certainty when foreigners come to town.

For the 12th straight time when an overseas team has visited the Highlanders – and 21st out of the last 22 – the hosts have come out on top, this time accounting for the Jaguares 32-27 in Dunedin.

It was a rather free-flowing affair, but by now that should be no surprise - you have to go all the way back to April 2016 to find the last time the Highlanders didn't rack up at least 32 points when playing at home against foreign opposition.

And, despite a few nervy moments, they pulled out what should be classified as an impressive victory, considering the Jaguares' recent record. Not only had the Argentinians triumphed in their last two matches on New Zealand soil, they came into Dunedin on a four-match winning streak, and were threatening to move behind the Crusaders and Hurricanes as the third-best side in Super Rugby.

Now, the Highlanders could certainly lay claim to that position, and they've solidified their status as the third best team in the New Zealand conference. With no New Zealand teams left on their schedule, it looks relatively locked in that the southerners will be in the Super Rugby playoffs, and their recent victories have been commendable considering the All Blacks they've had sidelined.

This afternoon they were missing the injured Ben Smith, Jackson Hemopo and Waisake Naholo, while Liam Squire didn't play due to personal matters, which will also see him miss the Highlanders' South African tour. Those absences combined to leave a few holes in the squad, which were initially exploited by the Jaguares.

The visitors made several alarmingly easy clean breaks – the most impactful by Sebastian Cancelliere, who burst through on halfway and placed a well-weighted kick for Matias Moroni to cross in the tackle of Josh Ioane.

It wasn't the greatest night defensively for Ioane, who was woefully out of position when skinned by Ramiro Moyano in the second half, but he showed the deft touches which make him an alluring prospect on attack as the Highlanders answered the Jaguares' steady accumulation.

One flipped offload close to the line after skipping through a tackle led to a James Lentjes try, while later Aaron Smith put the first-five into a slight hole, and he again found a late offload to put Sio Tomkinson across the line.

Support runners were the star performers of the Highlanders' four first-half tries, with some impressive link-up passing also leading to a Matt Faddes try, while they mixed it up before halftime as Liam Coltman powerfully finished off a lineout drive.

Holding a 13-point buffer at the break, the Highlanders looked relatively secure, but tries to Marcos Kremer and Moyano forced Ioane to keep the scoreboard ticking over via penalties as their lead was cut to five.

The Jaguares had their chances to finish off the raid, but the Highlanders hung on – and are now four games unbeaten, as they prepare for what could be a defining South African road trip.

Highlanders 32 (J. Lentjes, M. Faddes, S. Tomkinson. L. Coltman tries; J. Ioane 3 cons, 2 pens)
Jaguares 27 (M. Moroni, M. Kremer, R. Moyano tries; J. Diaz Bonila 3 cons, 2 pens)
HT: 26-13