Super Rugby Aotearoa: Highlanders secure stunning comeback win over Chiefs
The Highlanders have produced an unbelievable come-from-behind win over the Chiefs after the siren in their Super Rugby Aotearoa match in Hamilton on Sunday. Down 24-0 a quarter of the way into the contest at FMG Stadium Waikato, the Highlanders somehow came away 33-31 victors, as Sio Tomkinson crashed over a couple of minutes after the siren to tie the scores. Mitch Hunt slotted the conversion to send the 10,713 crowd away absolutely stunned, and consign the table Chiefs to unwanted history. They have now equalled their worst-ever losing streak of six in a row, with the two previous times having been across two seasons, in 1998-1999, and 2008-2009. Its also now a record five home defeats in a row. READ MORE: * Chiefs aim to avoid record books * 'They're the kicks every kicker wants': How Jordie Barrett calmly iced victory * Rebels 'don't deserve Super Rugby place' It all looked so good for the already out of contention Chiefs in this bottom-of-the-table contest, using the ball to their expansive best with the sun on their backs. But a controversial moment came in the 65th minute, when, up by 12 points they had seemingly landed the killer blow, only for it to be ruled out by referee Mike Fraser and TMO Brendon Pickerill. Without much time at the other end of the park, Damian McKenzie pirouetted on a dime and broke through to score from nothing. But the officials ruled it out for accidental offside from Canes knee knocking the ball into Kaleb Trasks foot. That was the right call, but it was more than two phases back, which they are not meant to go. The Highlanders just wouldnt lie down, either. In the 75th minute Jona Nareki sliced through for a 50-metre stunner, and Hunts conversion made it a five-point game. The visitors kept on pressing. A huge Lachlan Boshier turnover looked to have saved the day, but the Highlanders got the ball back, another penalty saw them kick for the lineout, they mauled, then the ball was sent to the backline and Tomkinson crashed through to amazingly tie the scores. Early on the Highlanders were absolutely gone. While prop Aidan Ross limped off after just two minutes, the Chiefs were quick to set the tone, as Boshier coasted through some flimsy defence to dot down under the sticks in just the fifth minute. On the other side of the park, Hunts missed penalty from out in front in the ninth minute similarly set the tone for the visitors. Two minutes later the Chiefs rubbed salt as Anton Lienert-Brown crashed over off an inside ball from McKenzie, following a Brad Weber snipe. It went from bad to worse for the visitors, with Rob Thompson yellow carded in the 14th minute for a high shot on Tupou Vaai, and McKenzies penalty made it 17-0. The southerners discipline was poor, and they paid the price for continued maul sacks, from a much-improved Chiefs lineout, when Bradley Slater went over from a well-executed lineout rolling maul. Just like that it was 24-0 at the quarter-mark and the Highlanders season was as good as done. Eventually, the visitors got into their work, and actually enjoyed 61 per cent possession by halftime, had double the number of carries and clean breaks, led offloads 8-1, though they had just one try to show for it. That came soon after All Black team-mates Weber and Smith traded hostilities, as tensions boiled between the two lightweights. Marino Mikaele Tuu burrowed over on the half-hour, and it doubled with a sin binning for Sam Cane, following Mike Frasers penalty advantage against the Chiefs captain knocking at the ball after his team had been handed a warning. Down by 17 at the break, the Highlanders desperately needed first points in the second stanza, but just two minutes in they were behind their sticks again when Slater had his double from an excellent 10-metre lineout drive. However, with Josh Ioane back from injury in his first game of the competition injected in place of centre Thompson, the Landers began to look a more organised and slick backline unit. And in the space of 10 minutes in the third quarter, they then scored back-to-back stunners to just keep them within touch. Smith started the first with a lovely switch to a surging McKay, and a great tip-on from Michael Collins sent Hunt scorching down the left touch to finish. And it was Smith who scored the next, brilliantly scooping a McKay pop, then Manaaki Selby-Rickit keeping it alive for the halfback to dot down, and keep them alive at 31-19. They then hammered it home late. AT A GLANCE Highlanders 33 (Marino Mikaele Tuu, Mitch Hunt, Aaron Smith, Jona Nareki, Sio Tomkinson tries; Mitch Hunt 4 con) Chiefs 31 (Bradley Slater 2, Lachlan Boshier, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie tries; McKenzie 4 con, pen). HT: 7-24.