The lights went out on Super Rugby and also Tana Umaga’s Moana Pasifika side on Friday.
A power outage at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland forced a 20-minute halt in play in the match between Moana and the Highlanders.
The stadium went dark in the 60th minute and when power returned, the match resumed under reduced lightning and with no further broadcast coverage.
The Highlanders won 39-19 and dealt a death knell to Moana hopes of making the playoffs for the first time in their five-season existence.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph believed his team lost their rhythm after the power outage.
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Moana coach Umaga admitted his young side faced a mountainous task to climb off the foot of the Super Rugby standings following a sixth successive defeat.
The Highlanders had raced into a 32-0 lead early in the second half before Umaga’s side launched a late response with three tries.
However, it couldn’t halt a miserable run of heavy losses for Moana since winning their opening-round match against the Fijian Drua.
Umaga, who was announced as All Blacks defence coach earlier this week, said he had a less experienced core of players at his disposal than last year, when All Blacks great Ardie Savea was an inspirational figure.
Savea led Moana to their best record of six wins to narrowly miss the playoffs last season.
However, his departure this year for Japan, along with the absence of several other important players, had weakened Moana’s know-how, Umaga said after the match.
Meanwhile, NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar hailed a “special memory” after his team snapped a run of eight straight defeats against bitter rivals ACT Brumbies in Canberra with a thrilling 30-28 win.
The Sydney-based side went into the clash after three consecutive Super Rugby losses and with their backs against the wall.
But against the odds, they raced to a commanding 21-7 lead after converted tries from Clem Halaholo, Andrew Kellaway and Joey Walton.
They then withstood a Brumbies comeback to taste victory in the Australian capital for the first time since 2018.
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“Tonight’s a special memory. To come into a place that we’ve got enormous respect for … we fronted up and delivered,” McKellar said.
It was touch and go after the Brumbies clawed back to 21-21 as the Waratahs faltered, only for the hosts to concede three crucial late penalties.
Young fullback Sid Harvey, in only his fourth Super Rugby game, stepped up to convert them all and secure the win.
– AFP
Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
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