Win vaults Highlanders into third

Fourth successive loss for Brumbies

Canberra: The ACT Brumbies are in danger of missing a Super 12 semifinal berth after the Highlanders sent them crashing to their fourth-successive defeat at Canberra Stadium last night.

The Highlanders beat the Super 12 champions 25-18 to go to third place on 29 points, leaving the Brumbies fourth on the table and needing to win their next two matches to keep their finals hopes alive. A late second-half try to All Black half Byron Kelleher secured the win for the Highlanders in a match which had been a kicking duel until the 63rd minute. Kelleher crossed in the corner when Brumbies flanker Owen Finegan spilled the ball off a ruck as the Highlanders threatened the ACT line. Kelleher scooped up the ball and darted through some flat-footed ACT defence for a converted try.

The Brumbies again suffered from uncharacteristic poor handling, showing only glimpses of the composure and attacking brilliance which secured them last year's championship. After losing evasive stand-in centre Tim Atkinson in the opening minute with a dislocated elbow, ACT committed a string of turnovers and even their usually-reliable line-out deserted them early on.

The Highlanders drew first blood when former All Blacks first five-eighth Tony Brown was on target with a penalty, while the Brumbies for the third week running were unable to find a way through hard-hitting opposition drift defence. The New Zealanders also had the better of the battle up front, with All Blacks props Carl Hoeft and Anton Oliver repeatedly bulldozing ACT off the ball at the breakdown.

The home side was forced to rely on replacement fullback Julian Huxley's boot, with the Australian Sevens representative edging the home side briefly in front after 25min when centre Mark Bartholmeusz was floored in a head-high tackle by Highlanders' winger Iliesa Tanivula.

Brown and Huckley traded kicks until the Otago No 10 was caught offside as the half-time siren sounded, giving the Brumbies a slender 12-9 lead at the break. The second half again saw a kicking duel, with Brown drawing the Highlanders level at 15-15 midway through the period.

The Brumbies were unable to capitalise even when South African referee Mark Lawrence sent Oliver to the sin-bin for a late tackle on ACT five-eighth Stephen Larkham as the Wallaby pivot chipped for the Otago line.

For the Highlanders, Brown kicked 20 points while Huckley scored all of ACT's points.

Scores. - Highlanders 25 (Byron Kelleher try; Tony Brown six pen, con), ACT Brumbies 18 (Julian Huxley six pen). Half-time: Brumbies 12-9. - AAP