Were the Highlanders Robbed?

In what is turning out to be an absolute thriller of a Super Rugby season, the Highlanders and Crusaders played out an absolute belter under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

As a southerly pounded Dunedin outside, the players enjoyed the dry albeit cold conditions under the roof and there was a lot of end to end attacking play.

In the end, it was the side from Canterbury that beat their Southern hosts again, 32-30 the final score but only just as the referees intervened to deny the Highlanders the winning score of the game.

Patrick Osborne looked to have put the Highlanders in front after the hooter had gone, dotting down right in the corner, as Israel Dagg made a desperate last gasp tackle to put him into touch.

The try went up to the TMO and from one angle, it looked as though Osborne seemed to have dotted the ball on the base of the post - touching the ball on the base of the post constitutes a try. Yet somehow the TMO ruled that Osborne has just missed by less than an inch and was in touch.

Give some credit to the referees, it was a very tough call for the TMO to make and from the touchline camera, it looked as though Osborne had just dotted very short. Interpretations of the law are key here and it would be best to consult the IRB head of refs to determine if Vinny Munro had interpreted the definition of "base of the post" correctly.

In a season where the little things matter for the New Zealand sides, perhaps it was apt that the game would come to such a minute detail.

Nevertheless, questions should have been asked about the Highlanders - with only a penalty/drop goal needed for the Highlanders to win the game, and considering Hayden Parker's ability to drop goals, did the Highlanders need to be so gallant to get the winning score? Should they have just played the phases, tried to win a penalty and then allow Parker to have a crack at goal?

The Canes lapped the Chiefs 7 times in Wellington last night

But alas that is the beauty of Jamie Joseph's Highlanders - a very instinctive side who have a very positive outlook to the game. They deservedly got 2 points from the game and remain in the top 6 but you wonder if those dropped 3 points will matter later on - the Chiefs thrashing to the Hurricanes later last night meant the Crusaders are now leaders of the New Zealand conference but it could so easily have been the Highlanders.

It's a shame we have that break for the internationals meaning a sudden halt to what should be an intriguing finish to the Super Rugby season.