https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Seos9Deidl0
It turns out that Captain America can beat Hulk.
The highlanders failed to find superhero performance as they fell into an agonizing 20-18 defeat for hurricanes at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight.
Defender Sam Gilbert almost delivered a moment of Marvel film brilliance, but his left -handed attempt in the last second was wide.
The highlanders played everything to try to win the game in the last few minutes and were standing.
The players were spread everywhere – the highlanders in their green Hulk shirts, the hurricanes in their clothing of Captain America, marking “Super Kids” Round – while recovering their breath.
It was another classic and physical derby of New Zealand than a high octane barnstormer.
The highlanders were brave, arranged and especially defensively accurate.
Sean Withy and Fabian Holland have shouted massive again, and Caleb Tangitau has confirmed that he is the new most exciting Highlanders recruit in a generation.
But there were many mistakes, very sloppy things and a lot of ground sweaty by their own flaws.
They lost their chance to win three consecutive and consecutive success against New Zealand teams for the first time since 2018.
It all happened in the first quarter of the time when the center of Highlanders, Tanielu Tele’a, lost its absence.
This early error took a few minutes very frantic, when the hurricanes deposited the siege of the highlanders line.
They properly marked the opening attempt when Ruben Love floated a marginal pass to Kini Naholo, who scored in a stadium where his older brother Waisake caused so much damage.
The highlanders almost made an immediate and spectacular answer when Flaker with a kick, but could not recover cleanly with the wave line.
Then came a classic moment of unstoppable force versus mobile object.
Timoci Tavatavanawai found and straight over the ex -Highlandrs Ngatunga Punivai.
Punivai hit hard on the deck, stayed there and to rub salt on the wound was given a yellow card when he appeared.
The highlanders couldn’t really make their numerical advantage say, even when the hurricanes served some terrible kicks, and the first half began to fail with robust plays, turnover and a penalty goals.
Then came Tangitaau.
The highlande wing, which is making a spectacular impression on its first season in Dunedin, produced a carbon copy of its attempt to intercept against Moana Pasifika two weeks ago.
Tangitaau waited as the hurricanes attacked, jumped loudly to make a hint of a pass from Brad Shields, jugglers and left 85m away to give the house a wonderful finish in half and an advantage of 11-8.
It was not so flash at the beginning of the second, when the hurricanes recovered the leadership very easily.
The Bailyn Sullivan Center Gaseou Taine Robinson, drew the last man and played inside to Cam Roigard to score.
Ajay FaleFaga left the bench for her first appearance this season for the Highlanders and was immediately in action.
Firstly, he missed a bad touch to spoil a perfect attack opportunity.
This was not so good. But he made up immediately when, after the man Tangitau kicked, he went to climb through the posts.
It seemed that the hurricanes responded with a pearl.
They changed quickly and defender’s love showed magnificent acrobatic skills to score in the corner and became an instant villain trying to end the zoo while he committed.
This has caused four rapid time leadership changes, but Gilbert missed the opportunity to do it five when he lost what he normally, for him, would be a regulatory penalty.
The hurricanes led 20 to 18 with 10 minutes to play. Then five minutes to play. So three.
The highlanders attacked waves, but failed to find the piece to do the job.
Perhaps the hurricanes just wanted more. They certainly needed this after a bad start to the season.
The highlanders host the Reds in Dunedin next Saturday afternoon.
Hurricanes 20
Kini Naholo, Cam Roigard, Ruben Love tries; Harry Godfrey Con, Pen
Highlanders 18
Caleb Tangitaau, Ajay FaleFaga tries; Sam Gilbert Con, 2 Pen
Interval: Highlanders 11-8.
