Battling Highlanders keep playoff hopes alive with entertaining win over Moana Pasifika in Christchurch

This article was originally published by Stuff and is reproduced with permission

We can only assume Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph gave his team a halftime rocket.

Riddled by bone-headed decisions and poor execution, his troops did enough to come back and beat Moana Pasifika 27-17, but their performance in Christchurch on Sunday will not have satisfied him.

Scrapping for their playoff lives, the Highlanders desperately sought a bonus point victory from the Super Round at One New Zealand Stadium, but will leave the Garden City still two points behind the sixth-placed Reds, who have a game in hand.

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Two wins over troubled Moana Pasifika in the space of four rounds is the only thing that's kept them in touch ahead of a tricky finish to the regular season, starting in Fiji next week.

Questions hang over Joseph's team after their scratchy win, which was in the balance until the final minute.

Nonetheless, as they say, a win is a win, and despite the lack of polish - the penultimate match of the Super Round was an entertaining affair.

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The first half couldn't have summed up the Highlanders of recent years any better.

Again, they had no issue getting their hands on the ball, or breaking Moana Pasifika open.

But they butchered a bunch of golden opportunities through poor decision making and execution inside the opposition 22.

That included flanker Veveni Lasaqa not turning play back inside after a lovely Tanielu Tele'a pass unleashed them, and the ball popping out of a ruck on the goal line.

The second opportunity was especially infuriating for Highlanders fans, given Moana Pasifika had just lost Semisi Paea to the bin for tackling halfback Adam Lennox from an offside position after he took a quick-tap and launched at the line.

It was rinse and repeat stuff, the type of play that should have prompted Joseph to pull his hair out.

The Highlanders did finally open the scoring through wing Jonah Lowe in the 25th minute, after they cashed in a raid sparked by No 8 Nikora Broughton rampaging deep into Moana territory.

But they trailed 10-7 at the break against a team that lost pivot Patrick Pellegrini early in the fixture, after a nasty collision with his opposite, Cam Millar.

Israel Leota scored the try of the match, soaring high and collecting a cross-field kick in spectacular fashion in-goal.

It was class, as was the barnstorming run from impressive No.8 Semisi Tupou-Ta'eiloa, who should have no problem finding a new home if Moana Pasifika don't survive beyond 2026, ahead of wing Glen Vaihu's strike.

Vaihu, armed with power and a quick step, unleashed a monster fend on Millar to put Moana Pasifika in position to snap their eight-match losing streak.

But it was not to be.

The Highlanders started the second half with purpose, drawing level through a Millar penalty, before prop Angus Ta'avao went over from close-range.

And when fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens put in a sublime grubber kick for Lennox to run on to and dash 40 metres to the line, the Highlanders looked set to roar home.

Forget it.

These Highlanders don't do anything easy, and were left to sweat on the result after Augustine Pulu ran a fantastic line and pulled Moana to within striking distance with 14 minutes to play.

They had chances to force golden point, too, only for their lack of polish to sink them.