Highlanders' year-long Super drought over

Nearly a year of Super Rugby heartache is over for the Highlanders, who notched their first win of the season with a courageous 25-22 defeat of the Sharks in Dunedin.

The Highlanders ended an eight-game losing streak to start the season on Saturday and tasted their first win in 12 games dating back to May 26 last year – the longest losing streak by any New Zealand franchise.

The 100th Super Rugby game for Brad Thorn ended on a dramatic note when the talismanic Highlanders lock was sent to the sin bin in the 80th minute. He could only watch on as the South Africans hammered away on the hosts’ line for three minutes after the final hooter.

The defence held firm and exhausted teammates embraced at the end of a fast-moving game which featured few stoppages under the covered roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The remarkable Thorn, 37, said he was “proud to play in front of my people” at an award ceremony in his honour after fulltime.

“I’ve got to say, I haven’t been that excited for just a round-robin game in my whole career. It was a massive moment,” he said.

Both teams scored three tries but Highlanders five-eighth Colin Slade – who had a mixed night with his goalkicking boot – landed two penalties to the one of Sharks counterpart Patrick Lambie.

The Sharks’ fourth straight loss could have been a draw if they elected to kick an easy penalty shot in the final minute.

They opted to push for a try but couldn’t add to the double scored by inside centre Meyer Bosman and a brilliant try to winger Lwazi Mvovo which put the visitors 15-7 up at halftime.

Last year’s beaten finalists have seen their record reduced to 5-5 after opening their campaign with five wins from six matches.

The Highlanders are still last with a trip to South Africa now looming but they can reflect on their best performance of a forgettable season for an All Blacks-laden team who haven’t met expectations.

They scored tries to No.12 Shaun Treeby, halfback Aaron Smith and Slade, the latter a contender for team try of the season after brilliant fullback Ben Smith sparked a counter attack from 70m out.

The Sharks’ response from the kick-off was to hold the ball for nearly five intense minutes before Bosman scored his second try.

A scoreless 18 minutes followed, which the Highlanders spent mostly on defence.

Aaron Smith showed signs of a return to his best form with a commanding display while No.8 TJ Ioane made huge gains with ball in hand for the Highlanders.

There was also an encouraging return for centre Tamati Ellison in his first game of any sort since injuring his shoulder in the All Blacks-Scotland Test at Edinburgh seven months ago.

Lock Pieter-Steph du Toit, flanker Marcell Coetzee and Bosman were exceptional for the Sharks, whose injury list looks set to grow after centre Francois Steyn limped off after halftime.