Replacement flyhalf Marty Banks kicked two late penalties to snatch a 20-17 victory for the Otago Highlanders against the Waikato Chiefs in their Super Rugby clash in Hamilton on Friday.
The Highlanders struggled against the Chiefs forwards throughout and conceded two penalty tries in the second half from attacking scrums after lock Joe Wheeler was yellow carded.
The Chiefs should have run away with the game given the amount of territory and possession they had but were let down by a poor goal kicking performance from All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden.
Cruden missed two penalty attempts in the first half, while the Highlanders' Lima Sopoaga landed three and only missed the conversion of Patrick Osbourne's counter-attacking try to give the visitors a 14-3 lead at the break.
The Chiefs forwards took over in the second half, however, and Cruden was able to slot the conversions from in front as the Chiefs battled back to a 17-14 lead, but he missed another easy penalty with 20 minutes remaining.
Andrew Horrell then took over kicking duties but missed his one shot.
Banks showed them how it is done by slotting his two late penalties in the 76th and 80th minutes to snatch an unlikely victory for the visitors. – Reuters