Winger Lowe intercepted first half passes from All Blacks Aaron Smith and Waisake Naholo, while hooker Elliot finished a well-worked lineout move in the second as the Chiefs ended a six-game losing streak to the Highlanders dating back to 2014. Their only first half reward was three Sopoaga penalties, while Lowe's two intercept tries that were converted by Aaron Cruden gave the Chiefs a 14-9 lead at the break. Elliot then worked a clever move with scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow to catch a Highlanders defence napping inside their own 22-metre area to give the visitors a 21-9 lead. Sopoaga reduced the deficit with two penalties before Cruden extended the lead again with his only penalty to give the Chiefs a nine-point lead with 12 minutes remaining. The Chiefs defence then continued to hold fast in the final few minutes, which silenced the previously raucous crowd dominated by Otago University students.

Source: The Star February 24, 2017 08:46 UTC