Otago Highlanders - News
	Highlanders withstand ferocious Shark attack By Brent Edwards The Otago Highlanders were sweating - both from physical exertion and pure relief - after their hard-earned 27-20 win over the Sharks in the Super 12 match at Carisbrook last night. This was life in the raw for the Highlanders after their 50-13 demolition of Queensland last week and the perspiration dripped from tired players after a torrid battle. Both sides scored three tries and, in the final analysis, three missed kicks by Gaffie du Toit proved costly for the men from Natal. The Highlanders were never in control against the big Sharks pack which, from the opening stanzas, showed it was intent on out-muscling its smaller opponents. It was an error-riddled but engrossing match, made so by the fierce, bruising tackling which rattled the bones of the players of both sides. Handling mistakes and turnovers were rife, but many were caused by the sheer intensity of a game in which the Sharks were intent on redemption. They started well and were ahead 10-0 after 14 minutes. Right wing Roger Smith scored after a nicely-weighted chip in-goal by du Toit, and captain and hooker Chris Rossouw smashed over after good lead-up work from a scrum by AJ Venter and live-wire halfback Chad Alcock. The Highlanders, under almost continual siege for the first quarter, broke out with a nicely-worked try after 26 minutes. Quality line-out ball off the top by Taine Randell, three phases and quick hands by Jeff Wilson and Marc Ellis sent Pita Alatini racing over in the corner. The Sharks still led at half-time, 13-10, but the turning point in the game came straight after the interval. Du Toit, who had a nightmare test against the All Blacks at Carisbrook last year, was unable to take a difficult pass from Alcock, the Highlanders swarmed to attack and Wilson had a clear run to the line. Ahead 17-13, the Highlanders should have had another try two minutes later after Romi Ropati ran into a gap, but Ellis was brought down with Wilson unmarked outside him. It was nip and tuck for much of the remainder of the game, neither side able to dominate, but the Highlanders gained some breathing space 14 minutes from the end. A sharp sprint by substitute wing Rico Gear was followed by four quick phases and, from the last, halfback Byron Kelleher spied a gap and raced through under the posts. But the Sharks were not done for. Clinton van Rensburg, who replaced du Toit after the latter suffered a cut forehead, scored and converted after a sustained build-up and the margin had been reduced to seven points. The Sharks attacked for much of the last nine minutes and it took some desperate defence by the Highlanders to keep their line intact and gain their second consecutive win. The Highlanders were at full stretch to contain the committed and powerful Sharks' pack and were not able to achieve the dominance they exerted against Queensland. Kelvin Middleton, for all-round effort, was a magnificent contributor in the Highlanders pack. Anton Oliver also excelled and Randell got through a lot of work on defence. Wilson and Gear always looked dangerous in the backs, but the pressure exerted by the Sharks' midfield of Pieter Muller and Joe Gillingham meant the ball seldom found its way to the wings. The Sharks' in-your-face defence frequently knocked the Highlanders down behind the advantage line and the latter's backs lacked composure at times as they forced passes, mishandled and kicked the ball away. This was a much better display from the Sharks, the forwards shaking the Highlanders with their physical intensity. Ollie le Roux, lock Albert van den Berg and the loose trio of Venter, Warren Brosnihan and Charl van Rensburg all had big games, while Alcock was an elusive and electrifying runner at halfback. But the Highlanders hung in grimly, made the most of a little good fortune, and achieved what they would have regarded as an essential victory.

 
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