The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Highlanders vs Lions highlights: Highlanders by 19

12th March, 2016
Kickoff: 735pm AEDT
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium
Referee: Chris Pollock (NZ)
Last meeting: Round 12, 2015 - Lions 28 Highlanders 23
Betting: Lions $1.25 Highlanders $4.00
Last season's champs head into Round 3 with a 1-1 record (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Roar Guru
12th March, 2016
63
3731 Reads

Match result:

The Highlanders took a strong win over the Lions on Sunday, downing their opponents by 19 points at Dunedin.

REPORT: HIGHLANDERS HAMMER LIONS

The Lions came into the match without a loss for the season but three tries in the second half from the Highlanders put an end to what had been a close contest.

Final score
Highlanders 34
Lions 15

Match preview:

The Highlanders won the final last year, the Lions should’ve been in the finals. Having won their first two games of the season – away in Tokyo and away in Waikato – The Lions are showing that their late-season run was no fluke. Join The Roar to see if the Lions can continue to upset the odds from 5:35pm AEDT.

The Lions were unlucky in being picked to go play the Sunwolves first. Given that the Moondogs, as Sean Maloney of Fox Sports calls them, are to split their time in Singapore, the Lions were probably ruing their luck in having to travel all the way to Tokyo. What’s worse is after that game they had to fly down to Auckland and then catch a bus out to Waikato to play the Chiefs.

Advertisement

It’s really rather that impressive that they beat both teams, including the impressive Chiefs, winners of two of the last four Super Rugby comps. In fact, not only is their current form something for their fans to get giddy about, but their season-long performances are on the up as well. Their highest finish ever was third in 2001, and since then they’ve ‘won’ the wooden spoon five times since.

Last year’s finish of eighth is therefore a full sun of hope, and it was unfortunate that considering how they played, they didn’t manage to make it into the finals.

The Highlanders, meanwhile, have lost a game by two points (away, Blues) and won a game by a point (home, Hurricanes). They’ve managed to retain the core of their squad this year, so it’ll be fascinating to see whether second season syndrome kicks in or not.

The southerners penchant for entertainment hasn’t, as the scorelines of their previous two games indicates, they’re business at the front, party at the back attitude to rugby means fun times are always had. After watching both Lions games, the same can be said of them.

Prediction
No doubt this will be a tight – and entertaining – game. But will the Lions travelling wear and tear catch up with them? Can they win two games away in New Zealand? Considering that, it seems that the Highlanders, due to their rather comfortable (in terms of travelling, anyway) domestic schedule probably means they can see this one out – just.

Highlanders by 7.

close