The Highlanders have blown a big halftime lead to lose 28-23 to the Lions in Johannesburg.
Two well-taken first-half tries saw the Highlanders take a 20-3 lead into halftime, but the home team had more presence and the better rub of the green in the second half to score three tries and come from well back for a hard-earned win.
A Ben Smith dropped-goal would be the Highlanders' only points of the second 40.
The Highlanders dominated territory in the first half, but it looked as if they wouldn't have much to show for it.
Marnitz Boshoff opened the scoring with a booming 51m penaltybefore Lima Sopoaga replied with a penalty and dropped-goal to give the Highlanders a narrow lead.
With time running out in the first half, the Highlanders finally found some better accuracy with their finishing, some excellent drawing and passing sending Gareth Evans over in the corner, with Sopoaga converting from the sideline.
The game lost some structure as the half ended, but it was the Highlanders' trademark counter-attacking which proved the difference as Richard Buckman managed to glove a ball back at a ruck for Malakai Fekitoa to run close to 70m unopposed for the Highlanders' second try and a 17-point lead at the break.
After packing a good scrum against the Sharks last week, the Highlanders were being put under pressure by the shunting of the Lions pack, although they were able to attack the home team's lineout.
Waisake Naholo went close after the break but was knocked into touch by a brave tackle from Boshoff.
The Lions struck back with a try to winger Courtnall Skosan, which had a hint of a forward pass in the build-up, and while Smith landed the Highlanders' second dropped-goal to give the visitors some breathing room, the Lions were right back in the game at the hour mark when Jaco Kriel finished off a rolling maul, which started on the 22m line.
Ross Geldenhuys and John Hardie both made welcome returns off the bench for the Highlanders after suffering long-term injuries, while Elliot Dixon was required to cover at lock for much of the second half.
The Lions grabbed a third try through Harold Vorster with just under 20 minutes left, but Elton Jantjies' missed the conversion as the Highlanders hung onto a 23-22 lead.
Jantjies made no mistake with a penalty 10 minutes from time as the Lions regained the lead. Another scrum penalty inside the last five minutes from Jantjies pushed that out to five points.
Lions 28 (Courtnall Skosan, Jaco Kriel, Harold Vorster tries; Marnitz Boshoff pen, Elton Jantjies 2 con, 2 pen)Highlanders 23 (Gareth Evans, Malakai Fekitoa tries; Lima Sopoaga pen, dg, 2 con, Ben Smith dg). HT: 3-20
- The Southland Times
