Otago Highlanders opened the 2003 Super 12 rugby union series with a 29-16 win over Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton, New Zealand, on Friday. Despite being dominated by the Chiefs' pack, fly-half Willie Walker kicked eight out of eight penalties to lead Otago home. His only miss was the conversion of Aisea Tuilevu's try three minutes from time.
Chiefs full-back Glen Jackson kicked three penalties and converted No 8 Paul Miller's try. But the Chiefs were let down by handling errors or turnovers at crucial attacking plays. Jackson's conversion of Miller's score gave the Chiefs the lead for the first time at 16-15 seven minutes into the second-half.
But three further Walker penalties stretched the Highlanders out to a 24-16 advantage before captain Taine Randell sold a dummy to create the overlap. Randell drew the man and passed to Ryan Nicholas, who sent Tuilevu over for the try that sealed the match.
Elsewhere, the Auckland Blues, playing aggressively in attack and defence, underlined their Super 12 claims with a commanding 31-18 victory over New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney. The Blues, two-time tournament winners, sealed a scoring bonus point with their fourth try of a wet night in the final minute against the disappointing Waratahs.
Auckland, with scorching pace out wide and committed and bruising forward play, had the match won with a 26-6 lead some 16 minutes from full-time.
Elsewhere, flyhalf Louis Koen kicked 29 points as Northern Bulls upset Golden Cats 34-26. It was a dream debut in Bulls colours for former Cat Koen, and for coach Rudy Joubert, a South African back from Welsh club Cardiff to try and lift the Bulls out of the doldrums.
The Bulls lost their 11 matches in the southern hemisphere inter-provincial rugby union championship last year while the Cats only success came against their neighbours.
In a see-saw struggle watched by a 15,000 crowd basking in late afternoon sunshine at Free State Stadium in the central city, the Bulls surrendered a nine-point advantage to trail 17-12 at half-time.
But after Cats flyhalf Andre Pretorius stretched the lead through a penalty, the Pretoria-based outfit took command with Koen kicking three consecutive penalties to give the Bulls a lead they never lost.
Results:
Otago Highlanders 29-16 Waikato Chiefs
New South Wales Waratahs 18-31 Auckland Blues
Northern Bulls 34-26 Golden Cats
