Highlanders suffer second consecutive loss
Special Correspondent Canberra:

The Highlanders slumped to their second consecutive loss and to fourth place in the Super 12 competition when they were soundly beaten 34-15 by the Brumbies at Bruce Stadium last night. The Brumbies scored four tries to none to take the outright lead in the tournament.

There was little to cheer about for the Highlanders. Tony Brown scored all their points, with five penalty goals, and it was the first time they had been kept tryless since they last played the Brumbies, at Carisbrook last year. Ironically, they won that match, 9-8. They seldom looked like unlocking the well-organised Brumbies defence last night and there was a disappointing lack of cohesion and imagination among the backs. The forwards, though Anton Oliver led by example, took far too long to get into the game and it was always going to be difficult to overhaul a 12-point half-time deficit.

The pack was flat and lethargic in the first half, the backs often fiddled about behind the advantage line and the Brumbies - roared on by a vocal crowd of more than 15,000 - took a stranglehold on the game. The Highlanders began the second spell with much more urgency but, after Brown had kicked his fourth penalty to narrow the gap, Mortlock replied in kind to regain the margin. The Highlanders continued to have the best of the second spell until Stephen Larkham scored a crucial try nine minutes from the end. It followed a paralysing burst by right wing Mark Bartholomeusz, followed by a quick ruck and clever use of the blind by Gregan. Ahead 29-15, the Brumbies rubbed it in five minutes from time when left wing Joe Roff finished off a sweeping move to score the fourth try, clinch the bonus point and extend the lead to 19 points.

The Brumbies' 21-9 half-time lead reflected their supremacy as they dominated territory and possession and defended stoically against the Highlanders' sporadic break-outs. George Gregan made a try-saving tackle on Karl Te Nana just before the break during one of the few times the Highlanders cracked the Brumbies defence. The Brumbies led 13-0 after as many minutes, centre Mortlock kicking two penalties and lock David Giffin crashing over under the posts after the Highlanders defence had been fooled. Brown posted the Highlanders' first points with a penalty, but the Brumbies went ahead 18-3 after 20 minutes when fullback Andrew Walker scored his seventh try of the tournament. He collected a long pass from Joe Roff, propped inside Jeff Wilson and scored in the corner. Saturday, 8-April 2000