Sopoaga puts the boot into Lions

Highlanders flyhalf Lima Sopoaga kicked two late penalties to end any prospect of a Lions win in Dunedin. The Sunwolves won for the first time this season and the Crusaders fought back from 29-0 to beat the Waratahs 31-29. The Rebels also overturned a 24-10 deficit to beat the Brumbies 27-24 in Canberra.

The Highlanders won 39-27 after the Lions had fought back to trail by six with six minutes to play.

The Highlanders got off to a flyer to lead 19-3, but two Lions tries just before half time made it 19-15.

The Highlanders again scored quickly after the break but again the Lions struck back to trail 26-20.

And so it continued. The Highlanders scored again and then the Lions scored in a match of all out attack.

Ironically, in a match of such try-scoring magnitude (nine in all), it was the unerring boot of Sopoaga that proved decisive to the result.

All the detail of the Sunwolves 63-28 win against the Reds on the Live Match Centre.

All the detail of the Crusaders stunning 31-29 win against the Waratahs on the Live Match Centre. The Crusaders trailed 29-0 after 29 minutes.

All the detail of the Rebels come from behind win against the Rebels in Canberra on the Live Match Centre. The Rebels trailed 21-3 and won 27-24.

The Lions, who started their Australasian tour with a 29-0 win against the Waratahs, were stunned in defeat to the Reds in Brisbane. The tour of New Zealand also ended in two successive defeats to the Hurricanes and Highlanders, with the Lions failing to get a league point from the two matches in New Zealand.

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• The Highlanders have won six of their seven home games against the Lions including their last three in a row; their solitary defeat came in 2011 at Carisbrook.
• The Highlanders have won their last 11 in a row at home, only once before have they gone on a longer such run (W13, 2000-2002).
• The Lions have lost their last three games, the last time they lost more was a three-game drought to open the 2015 campaign.

All the match detail on the Live Match Centre

Scorers:

Highlanders

Tries: Sopoaga, Coltman, Whitelock, Naholo, Walden

Conversions: Sopoaga 4

Penalties: Sopoaga 2

Lions

Tries: Vorster, R Coetzee 2, Schoeman

Conversions: Jantjies 2

Penalty: Jantjies

Teams:

Highlanders

15 Ben Smith (captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Tei Walden, 11 Tevita Nabura, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Kayne Hammington, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 James Lentjes, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown

Substitutes: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Kalolo Tuiloma, 19 Josh Dickson, 20 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21 Josh Renton, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Sio Tomkinson

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Franco Mostert (captain), 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Dylan Smith

Substitutes: 16 Jacques van Rooyen, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza

Match Commentary

         80‘Lima Sopoaga makes no mistake with that penalty goal attempt.

•  It’s all over! The referee has blown his whistle to end the game.
• 76‘Sio Tomkinson comes on for Highlanders.
• 76‘Teihorangi Walden leaves the field.
• 76‘Lima Sopoaga kicks the penalty.
• 72‘The touch judges raise their flags as Elton Jantjies kicks the conversion.
• 72‘Dillon Smit sets up the try.
• 72‘The defensive line has been broken as Marnus Schoeman goes through the gap.
• 72‘Marnus Schoeman scores the try from close range.
• 70‘Josh Ioane comes on.
• 70‘Tevita Nabura comes off.
• 70‘Dillon Smit comes on.
• 70‘Nic Groom comes off.
• 69‘What a run here by Sylvian Mahuza as they gets over the gainline!.
• 66‘Josh Renton comes on.
• 66‘Kayne Hammington comes off.
• 66‘Lions decide to make a substitution, with Jacobie Adriaanse getting some game time.
• 66‘Lions decide to make a substitution, with Robbie Coetzee being replaced.
• 65‘Lions have won 80 rucks so far this game.
• 64‘Highlanders make a substitution with Josh Dickson coming on.
• 64‘Highlanders make a substitution with Alex Ainley coming off.
• 64‘Lima Sopoaga adds the two points for Highlanders.
• 64‘Lions sub Sylvian Mahuza comes onto the field.
• 64‘Lionel Mapoe departs for Lions.
• 63‘Rob Thompson sets up the try.
• 63‘Rob Thompson makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 63‘Incisive passing by Highlanders is finished off by Teihorangi Walden, as he goes over for the try.
• 62‘Highlanders have won 80 rucks so far this game.
• 59‘Rohan Janse van Rensburg comes on for Lions.
• 59‘Harold Vorster leaves the field.
• 57‘Cyle Brink has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 56‘Ruan Dreyer comes on.
• 56‘Johannes Jonker comes off.
• 56‘Jacques Van Rooyen comes on.
• 56‘Dylan Smith comes off.
• 56‘Marnus Schoeman comes on.
• 56‘Marvin Orie comes off.
• 56‘Highlanders decide to make a substitution, with Kalolo Tuiloma getting some game time.
• 56‘Highlanders decide to make a substitution, with Tyrel Lomax being replaced.
• 54‘Fabulous play by Lions has led to Ruan Combrinck being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 54‘Highlanders make a substitution with Aki Seiuli coming on.
• 54‘Highlanders make a substitution with Dan Lienert-Brown coming off.
• 54‘Highlanders sub Ash Dixon comes onto the field.
• 54‘Liam Coltman departs for Highlanders.
• 53‘Highlanders have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 52‘Franco Mostert has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 52‘Marino Mikaele Tu’u comes on for Highlanders.
• 52‘James Lentjes leaves the field.
• 50‘Elton Jantjies has hooked the conversion to the right of the posts.
• 48‘Nobody could stop that maul! Robbie Coetzee places the ball down for the try.
• 45‘Trouble here as Ruan Combrinck breaches the defence.
• 45‘Elliot Dixon has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 44‘Lima Sopoaga does the business as his conversion attempt goes over.
• 43‘Spellbinding play by Ben Smith is finished off with a try.
• 43‘This is dangerous for the defence as Ben Smith bursts through to advance the Highlanders attack.
• 43‘Silky skills by Highlanders ends with a try for Waisake Naholo.
• 42‘A gap opened in the defence and Lourens Erasmus took full advantage.
• 41‘The defensive line has been broken as Andries Coetzee goes through the gap.
• 40‘Lions have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 40‘Thomas Franklin has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 40‘The second half is underway.
• 40+4‘Elton Jantjies hits the right post with the conversion, failing to add the two points.
• 40+4‘The half-time whistle blows and both teams’ head for the dressing rooms.
• 40+3‘The Lions pack has powered over for Robbie Coetzee to score the try.
• 40+2‘Dan Lienert-Brown has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 39‘Elton Jantjies makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.
• 38‘Luke Whitelock has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 38‘Elton Jantjies played a key part in that try.
• 38‘What a run here by Harold Vorster as they gets over the gainline!.
• 38‘A wonderful passing move by Lions is finished off by Harold Vorster.
• 38‘Nic Groom makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 35‘Lima Sopoaga has hooked the conversion to the left of the posts.
• 34‘That’s a great try assist by Elliot Dixon.
• 33‘A series of passes by Highlanders results in a try for Luke Whitelock.
• 33‘Fabulous play by Highlanders has led to Rob Thompson being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 32‘Highlanders have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 32‘Lions have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 29‘Trouble here as Aphiwe Dyantyi breaches the defence.
• 29‘This is dangerous for the defence as Lionel Mapoe bursts through to advance the Lions attack.
• 28‘Lourens Erasmus comes on.
• 28‘Andries Ferreira comes off.
• 27‘A gap opened in the defence and Luke Whitelock took full advantage.
• 23‘The defensive line has been broken as Marvin Orie goes through the gap.
• 23‘What a run here by Cyle Brink as they gets over the gainline!.
• 17‘Lions have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 15‘Waisake Naholo makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 14‘Lima Sopoaga converts the try.
• 14‘Kayne Hammington sets up the try.
• 13‘Highlanders are only a few metres out, surely they must score! And they do with Liam Coltman touching down.
• 13‘Highlanders have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 9‘Elton Jantjies has kicked a penalty goal.
• 8‘Fabulous play by Lions has led to Ruan Combrinck being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 8‘Trouble here as Marvin Orie breaches the defence.
• 7‘This is dangerous for the defence as Nic Groom bursts through to advance the Lions attack.
• 5‘A gap opened in the defence and Liam Coltman took full advantage.
• 5‘Lima Sopoaga has kicked a conversion.
• 3‘Great hands by Highlanders leads to a try for Lima Sopoaga.
•  The defensive line has been broken as Tevita Nabura goes through the gap.
•  We are underway as the referee blows his whistle.