The Highlanders had a comfortable 27-3 victory over the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday night, having too much guile and defensive ability for the home side.
The Australians tried hard but there is a lack of X-factor players in some of these Australian teams and that is what the Rebels needed on Saturday - someone to do something magical.
But the cupboard was empty in that regard and the Highlanders efficiently trampled on and eventually saw off the Rebels with ease.
Riding on the back of a defensive effort in which only a handful of tackles were missed, the Highlanders ran out convincing victors.
The side also bagged its first try-scoring bonus point of the season, scoring three tries and keeping the Rebels out.
Line breaks were few and far between by both sides. Neither team seemed keen to show its full hand.
But backed by a strong defence, the Highlanders just strangled the Rebels out of the game.
The game was not helped by a sand-based pitch which made scrummaging hard work and too much time was taken up by re-setting scrums.
Best for the Highlanders was the front row which put pressure on at scrum time while lock Joe Wheeler got through plenty of work, as did No8 Liam Squire.
Halfback Aaron Smith played his usual high quality game, as did the man outside him, Lima Sopoaga. Otago winger Jack Wilson put in a good stint in his first game for the Highlanders and was rewarded with a try.
That try pushed the Highlanders out to an 18-3 lead just before the hour, after it led 13-3 at the break.
Sopoaga put through a nice chip kick, second five-eighth Rob Thompson kicked the ball on and Wilson was first man to the ball to score.
Just under 10 minutes later, the Highlanders had their third try, when winger Patrick Osborne intercepted a loose Rebels pass and ran 75m to score.
Sopoaga added the extras and the visiting side was home and hosed.
The first half had rather meandered along, with the Highlanders in control for most of the 40 minutes but scoring only one try.
The Highlanders concentrated more on putting the Rebels back near the shadow of its posts and it translated into 13 unanswered points in the first half.
Thompson scored the only try of the half, just after the 20-minute mark.
Aaron Smith put up a bomb and it was dropped by Rebels fullback Jonah Placid.
Thompson kicked the ball on and won the race to score the five points.
Sopoaga added two penalties and a conversion in the first half.
Highlanders v Rebels
The scores
Highlanders 27
Rob Thompson, Jack Wilson, Patrick Osborne tries; Lima Sopoaga 3 con, 2 pen
Rebels 3
Jack Debreczeni pen
Halftime: 13-0
