The front eight in blue were committed, totally enthusiastic, and never stopped going, as they outmuscled and overran a strangely subdued Waratahs forward pack in Invercargill last night.
The Highlanders richly deserved their 26-10 victory, for they had the lion's share of possession and territory and kept tackling right until the 80th minute.
In conditions which at times resembled a blizzard even a penguin would have refused to go out in, the Highlanders played the ball at the right end of the park, and could have scored a couple more tries if passes had been more accurate.
The Highlanders were rid of most of the small inaccuracies that have plagued them all season, they drove hard and low into breakdowns, and did not cough up the ball.
Best for the home team in a very impressive pack was hooker Jason Rutledge, who, like a fine wine, is getting better with age.
He was all energy around the rucks and mauls, and refused to take a backward step all night.
Not far behind was No 8 Steven Setephano, who had one of his best games in a Highlanders jersey, while openside flanker Alando Soakai continued his rich run of form.
Jimmy Cowan pulled the strings behind the pack, kicking when needed, and covering well on defence.
At the back, Israel Dagg showed he is not far from getting a call from the national selectors.
The Waratahs did not score a point in the second half, and were more out of the going the longer it went on.
Captain Phil Waugh tried hard but the Waratahs will not have fond memories of their first trip to Invercargill.
Dagg set up the second try for Adam Thomson five minutes into the second half when he broke the Waratahs' defence and fed lock Josh Bekhuis. The lock then passed inside to Thomson, who was unstoppable 5m from the line.
Mathew Berquist then knocked over three straight forward penalties and the home side was 16 points ahead with 10 minutes to go, and it was effectively game over.
Ahead 12-10 at halftime, the Highlanders would have thought they should have been further ahead, such was their weight of possession and territory.
The home team started like a house on fire and caught the Waratahs napping.
They took first blood in the match after just eight minutes, through some good old-fashioned forward grunt.
The side blew up through the middle more than a dozen times, only for the ball to be held up on the line.
From the resultant scrum, which took an age to finally set, Setephano went off the back and was over.
That was swiftly followed by a second Highlanders try.
Wing Fetu'u Vainikolo took advantage of a Mathew Berquist steal to break the line.
The Highlanders worked the ball to the line before Cowan threw a long pass to Thomson and he wrestled his way over the line.
Dagg added the extras and it was point-a-minute stuff.
The Waratahs finally got their hands on the ball, and Daniel Halangahu scored a penalty halfway through the first half.
The Waratahs though finally showed why they are near the top of the table with seven minutes remaining in the half.
They shifted the ball to the middle of the field and fullback Kurtley Beale ran on to an inside ball and went over under the posts.
Halangahu added the extras and the Waratahs were just two points behind despite having little territory or possession.
HIGHLANDERS v WARATAHS
- The scores
> Highlanders 26: Adam Thomson 2, Steven Setephano tries, Israel Dagg conversion, Mathew Berquist 3 penalty goals
> Waratahs 10: Kurtley Beale try, Daniel Halangahu conversion, penalty goal.
> Halftime: 12-10.
