by Ross Karl
The Crusaders came at them for 20 minutes with everything they could. They had two tries disallowed by the TMO in that time. But, if you look closely it was because the Highlanders absorbing everything. Aaron Smith got a pesky arm into Kieran Read's attempted touchdown and Luke Romano was pulled down shorter than he thought, forcing him into a double movement.
The Highlanders spend of their games without the ball. Their possession stats are nowhere near the Crusaders or Chiefs. Ironically, for a team that spends most of it's time kicking it away and chasing bombs, they have the most potent backline in Super Rugby.
Once they've soaked up all that pressure, they spring back into shape, as if nothing had happened before.
When the Highlanders sense a chance to score they take it. Aaron Smith and Lima Sopoaga are masters of sensing the time to strike, while Ben Smith and Waisake Naholo know exactly where to be to help turn those opportunities into points.
Last night's "kick-pass" to Naholo, the set-piece moves from backline mastermind Tony Brown, the swiftness of the passing and the clinical finishing will have every team in the competition on red alert. This wasn't just any team they were tearing apart it was the Crusaders! What's more, it was an improvement on their dismantling of the Chiefs.
With such a star-studded backline, opposition don't know where to focus their defences. Last night the midfield took the backline's odd man out, centre Matt Faddes, lightly. He may not be a big name but the Crusaders obviously hadn't heard the rumours he's the quickest man in the Highlanders squad. When there are so many threats, what can you do to stop them.
There is much talk about their "under-rated" forwards. When a team has so little ball, it's hard for forwards to star. Some would say they're not starring because possession usually comes from the battle up front. But the Highlanders forwards seem to prefer to defend. They throw themselves into opposition rucks with ferocity. They have a sadistic love of tackling. The team policy of kicking away ball seems to work just fine by them. They're the abrasive side of the sponge.
After absorbing the best the top two teams in the competition could throw at them, the Highlanders are now level with the Chiefs and Highlanders on the competition. They'll ring themselves out over their coming bye week and spring back into shape, as few would now doubt they can win back to back titles.
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