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Highlanders 43
Rebels 12
The fans at Rugby Park waited 40 minutes and then it came as the Highlanders swept home to dispatch the Rebels 43-12 in Invercargill tonight.
It was like the home side had a feed of that famous Bluff delicacy at the break after an opening half where it huffed and puffed but barely got in.
With the scores tied 12 all at the break, the Highlanders came out all guns blazing and scored 31 unanswered points in the second 40 minutes.
They scored seven tries in all, scoring their first four try bonus point of the season.
To the fore for the winners was loose forward Adam Thomson and fullback Ben Smith.
If they picked an All Black team tomorrow the Otago duo would be the first ones picked.
Thomson picked up a hat trick of five pointers, Smith scored two tries and they were both in the game the whole time
Thomson was all over the paddock, turning up in the most unlikely of places. One would wonder what sort of mileage he racked up but he would put an Energizer battery to shame.
Smith continued to show his full array of tricks, and made metres every time he got the ball.
Not far behind was lock Josh Bekhuis while Jarrad Hoeata made a successful debut for the season .
The Rebels became a rabble in the second half after starting out well.
They dropped off too many tackles in the second half and their defensive line speed was poor as the game wore on.
The Highlanders attack clicked into top gear and Smith's last try was a classic back move where he was moved into space and then put on the after-burners to fly through the gap.
The Rebels created a couple of golden chances after just five minutes but could not convert either and it was left to a James O'Connor penalty to open the visitors scoring.
The Highlanders were looking to run the Rebels around but were not finding many gaps in the defence.
O'Connor had a second penalty attempt on the quarter hour and he made no mistake.
The Highlanders were trying hard but there was no way through the defence and the home team also coughed up the ball with too many mistakes. Two missed penalty shots did not help the home team cause.
The Rebels extended their lead to nine points when O'Connor banged over a penalty just on the half hour mark.
But the Highlanders finally got on the board after 32 minutes.
The ball went out to Shaun Treeby who went round a man before in passing to fullback Smith who ran through Kurtley Beale to score.
Chris Noakes added the conversion.
But the Rebels came right back and James O'Connor knocked over his fourth penalty.
Just as the Rebels looked as though they would take a lead into the break the Highlanders managed to grab their second try of the game.
They had a long period of attack and winger Hosea Gear threw a beautiful cut out pass to put Thomson over out wide.
Noakes hit the post with the conversion to send the sides all square going into the sheds.
Highlanders 43 (Adam Thomson 3, Ben Smith, Kade Poki, Jamie Mackintosh tries, Chris Noakes 4 con) Rebels 12 (James O'Connor 4 pen)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news...ectid=10795639
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Originally Posted by theforceguy
