Highlanders splutter to first win
The Highlanders earned their debut victory of the season with a 6-0 win over the Crusaders at Carisbrook on Saturday.
Last Updated: 09/03/09 9:59am
The Highlanders earned their debut victory of the season with a 6-0 win over the Crusaders at Carisbrook on Saturday.
Two penalties was all that either side could manage in a bedraggled affair that marked a record-breaking low result for the Super 14.
The usually slow-starting Crusaders are not the same force they were last year and were clearly missing the departed Dan Carter, Greg Somerville and Ali Williams.
Their problems have been compounded by injuries to wing Kade Poki (ankle sprain), centre Casey Laulala (shoulder), prop Ben Franks (toe) and full-back Leon MacDonald.
And things were made worse in the 80 minutes that followed as captain Richie McCaw and in-form finisher Jared Payne both limped from proceedings during a lifeless contest.
The out-of-position Stephen Brett found himself the victim of an early test by Jimmy Cowan's well-judged kick, the youngster showing his inexperience at full-back before getting away with a good clearance.
Deadlock
Then it was winger Payne who was on the receiving end of a ball in-behind as number eight George Naoupu demonstrated his grubbering skills to force the winger out just five metres from his own line.
It continued to be nip and tuck during the opening 15 minutes with not much separating the two 2009 strugglers.
But then came the bad news for coach Tom Blackadder, as Payne limped off on 20 minutes with even worse news to come 10 minutes on.
Captain McCaw found his knee caught in a ruck with lock Hayden Triggs' weight causing the damage.
Half-time came and went while the game remained deadlocked and the second period did not get much better.
Forward passes and lack of tempo characterised play on both sides before centre Adam Whitelock busted four tackles with an excellent break on 55 minutes.
Colin Slade missed a rare full-arm penalty before Daniel Bowden stepped up to register the first point of the game on the 68 minute mark following Brad Thorn's armless tackle.
Five minutes later and Bowden hit the target again to take the score to 6-0, and the game to its somewhat disappointing conclusion.
