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Play to the end Otago gets the edge in battle against Queensland
Posted: Saturday April 17, 1999 01:02 PM
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- First-place Otago Highlanders scored a try in the final two minutes to beat Queensland 20-19 Saturday in a battle of the top two teams in rugby union's Super 12 competition. Highlanders replacement forward Isitolo Maka scored between the posts after scooping up a loose ball from the back of a ruck to stretch Otago's lead at the top of the table. It was Otago's first Super 12 win in Australia. Until Maka scooped up the loose ball at the back of the ruck to score, the Reds looked on track to record a win for Tim Horan, who was celebrating his 100th match for Queensland. The veteran Wallaby center provided his own piece of magic midway through the second half when he stopped a certain Otago try with a desperate tackle but the Reds eventually fell to the Highlanders' relentless pressure. While Reds coach John Connolly insisted his team had played better than Otago, Horan conceded Queensland paid the price for relaxing in the last 10 minutes after leading from the outset. "We probably closed up shop a little too early and we probably should have kept the ball in hand more," Horan said. "We probably thought we had the game won but we're still improving and I thought we controlled the game quite well." Highlanders' coach Tony Gilbert was relieved his side stuck to the game plan in the final 20 minutes. He had instructed the team to keep the ball in hand and it eventually paid dividends. "We had a lot of trouble breaking through their defense but I felt our forwards got on top in that final quarter," said Gilbert. "We were able to take advantage of that. "We got out of jail really but it's a credit to the guys' commitment and willingness to win." ScorersOTAGO HIGHLANDERS 20 (Brian Lima, Isitolo Maka tries; Tony Brown 2 conversions, 2 penalty goals) defeated QUEENSLAND 19 (Daniel Herbert try; Nathan Spooner conversion, 4 penalty goals) at Ballymore.
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