Highlanders defeat Cheetahs after close contest in Dunedin
Highlanders defeated Cheetahs by 24-21 in the opening match of the seventh round of Super Rugby in Dunedin on Friday.
They overcame the Cheetahs with the narrow margin of 24-21 after a tight competition. Although the Cheetahs played comparatively better but they could not break their losing streak. The Highlanders were leading the game by 17-14 at the interval and both
teams added seven each point to their total during second part of the game.
The Cheetahs claimed seventh defeat after playing eight matches in the ongoing Super Rugby season. On the other hand, victory has placed the Highlanders on overall 5th position in the points’ table after winning five clashes. At the same time, the highlanders
have made their position firm among their other home teams. At the moment, the Crusaders are topping the tables with 26 points and Highlanders are now just one behind to them.
Adam Thomson and Colin Slade played exceptionally well to cash tight victory for Highlanders. Thomson scored two tries for his side while Slade added valuable nine points to the total. The Highlanders were clearly dominating over the Cheetahs as for as ball
possession was concerned.
The Cheetahs could not avail the opportunities offered to them and they missed as many as two penalties and at least three conversions. Their main strikers like Sias Ebersohn, WP Nel, Robert Ebersohn and winger Phillip Burger played equally well during the
match.
At one moment, it seemed as if the Cheetahs were looking for losing bonus points but some good work in the middle of the game was threatening the Highlanders. There was an opportunity for them to end the match in a draw but they denied at the eleventh hour.
After the match, the winning captain Jamie Mackintosh talked the media and said it was a tough contest as expected but in the end we managed to carry the day.
He added, “At times there I thought we played some of the best rugby of the year there. We were trying to be positive ...but we probably put ourselves under too much pressure by turning over too much ball.”
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