THE PRESS, Christchurch Saturday, March31, 2012 WEEKENDSPORT D3 FRIDAY ACTION RUGBY Highlanders trounce hapless Rebels at ‘Castle Cargill’ The Highlanders bounced SCORERS points. They finished with Zealand conference and the running and passing. It all With the match clock Thomson each breached the first five-eighth Colin Slade back from their loss last week seven tries to nil, scoring the overall ladder. went horribly wrong shortly almost at 43 minutes, the Rebels’ stripe in the last 21 can finally leave the scene of away to hammer the Rebels Highlanders 43 (Adam Thomson 3, last 36 points of the game. It was a fourth loss in five after Johansson returned to Highlanders levelled the score minutes with Thomson just his latest rugby heartache 43-12 in Invercargill last night. Ben Smith 2, Jamie Mackintosh, Talismanic flanker Adam games for the Rebels, who the field, as the Rebels when Thomson crossed at the denied another try when he behind, almost a week after The Rebels, seeking their Kade Poki tries; Chris Noakes 4 Thomson bagged a hat-trick have lost all five of their conceded two tries late in the end of another sweeping was forced out of play. he broke a leg playing the cons) bt Melbourne Rebels 12 first win away from Mel- (James O’Connor 4 pens) at Rugby and incisive fullback Ben offshore games since being first half, which ended with a move. Rebels wing Cooper Vuna Brumbies in Canberra. bourne, led 9-0 and 12-7 in the Park Stadium, Invercargill. Smith a brace. admitted to the competition 12-12 scoreline. Thomson and Poki crossed was warned by the referee for Slade was cleared to return first half after four penalties Referee: Marius Jonker. Captain and prop Jamie last year. Smith evaded attempted within five minutes of the a lifting tackle on Poki, which home from the Australian to five-eighth James O’Con- Mackintosh and wing Kade O’Connor and fellow Wall- tackles from Beale and O’Con- restart and the Rebels’ resolve looked just as bad, if not capital yesterday and con- nor. Poki also crossed the Rebels aby Kurtley Beale, both nor and fended off halfback diminished as the insatiable worse, than the one made by tinue a lengthy rehabilitation But the Highlanders multi- 14-minute period either side line, as the Highlanders returning from injury, caused Nick Phipps for the Highlanders pack dominated Johansson. which rules him out of the phase play wore down the of the break in which they notched their fifth win in six the Highlanders defence some Highlanders’ first five- possession. Meanwhile injury-cursed remainder of the Super Rugby Rebels, especially in a scored four tries and 24 games to go top of the New early headaches with their pointer. Mackintosh, Smith and All Black and Highlanders season. AAP FOOTBALL SWIMMING Palmer Ifill gratefully returns to form takes penalty North Shore sprinter Hayley Palmer, hospitalised with Sam Worthington SCORERS minutes to go in an elimin- glandular fever last year, ation game it was a little bit bounced back to grab a ticket Paul Ifill had thought the Wellington Phoenix 3 (Brown nerve-racking and they were to the Olympics on the last A-League’s referees had been 46’, Sigmund 78’, Ifill 85’ pen) doing their best to put me off. On target: Ben night of finals at the State conspiring against him this bt Sydney FC 2 (Chianese 79’, ‘‘It took a long time, it’s Sigmund, left, Andrew New Zealand Swimming season. 82’). nicer when you can just put Durante and Tim Championships in Auckland The Phoenix’s talisman the ball down and put it in the Brown celebrate after last night. had twice been outspoken back of the net. Brown scored the The 22-year-old produced after being denied seemingly the Phoenix march on, to play ‘‘I don’t like the waiting opening goal in the her best time in two years to clear-cut penalties during the the winner of tomorrow around but at the end of the Phoenix’s 3-2 win over equal the qualifying standard regular season but it seems night’s Perth Glory-Mel- day I stuck it in the net and Sydney FC in of 25.27sec to win the final of keep asking and you shall bourne Heart elimination we go on, so I’m pretty Wellington last night. the 50m freestyle at the event eventually receive. final. pleased.’’ Photo: FAIRFAX NZ that doubled as the Olympic After Sydney FC’s Joel If Perth win, the Phoenix He has played a lot of foot- trials in Waitakere. Chianese had shocked the are flying to Western Aust- ball but Ifill admitted last The number of individuals still-celebrating Phoenix by ralia, if the Heart come night – with two goals at each under the qualifying time for scoring twice to level the through, then they do it all end within seven minutes – London is eight in 14 events scores at 2-2, Ifill weaved his again at Westpac Stadium was fairly dramatic. along with the women’s way into the penalty box, was next weekend. ‘‘2-0 up and I thought the 4x200m freestyle relay, bring- brought down by Michael ‘‘It’s a great feeling, noth- last 10 minutes we could just ing the total to 12. Beauchamp and finally ref- ing’s ever easy here and we keep the ball and do it a little The men’s 4x200 freestyle, eree Chris Beath pointed to made it very hard for our- bit easier. women’s 4x100m freestyle and the spot with four minutes to selves,’’ said Ifill after a pul- ‘‘Three minutes later, men’s 4x100m medley relay play. sating match that unfortu- we’re 2-2 and it’s like ‘oh my teams have met the New Ifill, who had been diligent- nately was played in front of God, this could be the end of Zealand Olympic Committee ly practising his penalties the just 10,019. that’.’’ Phoenix might advance with ing the opener when play did to get to the corner flag to The youngster lopped a criteria and will await a final day before the game, was ‘‘It’s just nice to get a pen at But the show goes on and a regulation 1-0 win. resumed after a scoreless first soak up the raucous Yellow shot over Mark Paston after a Fina invitation in June as one assured under the spotlight, last. not surprisingly the Phoenix If Tim Brown wants to half. In a congested penalty Fever celebrations and Sig- Nick Carle ball had taken a of the four remaining fastest struck it hard and true past ‘‘I probably had two more are crossing their fingers for retire, he’s going a funny way box, the midfielder pounced mund looked to have sealed fortuitous deflection off Mark nations. Ivan Necevski into the top stonewall ones than that but I the sixth-ranked Heart to about it. when good mate Ben Sigmund the win in the 79th minute Bridge. Experienced North Shore right corner to end Sydney’s still think it was a pen and it upset the third-placed Glory. The Phoenix centurion, nodded a header in his direc- with a trademark powerful Four minutes later Paston swimmer Melissa Ingram will brave comeback. was nice to be able to dust ‘‘We’re going to have a who is quitting football to hit tion and snapped a close- header. couldn’t hold a Bridge shot be heading to her second Last night’s 3-2 win at myself down and take it. Heart party round at my the books in England, ensured range shot past Necevski. But the Phoenix fell asleep and Chianese had a simple Olympics after going under Westpac Stadium means ‘‘I’ve said I’ve wanted one place,’’ Ifill quipped. he would lace up the boots at The 31-year-old has poss- as Chianese scored literally follow-up for 2-2 before Ifill’s the qualifying time in the season over for Sydney but for a long time, but with four Earlier, it seemed the least one more time by scor- ibly never run faster than he from the kickoff. 86th minute winner. Fairfax NZ 200m backstroke. The 26-year- old clocked 2:10.56 to be 0.3sec under the qualifying mark for London. Sophia Batchelor ROWING BASKETBALL from Aquagym was second clocking 2:12.31. The night was sealed with a remarkable 3:35.09 effort by the men’s quartet of Gareth St Margaret’s Hungry Crocs swallow up Breakers Kean, Glenn Snyders, Daniel Bell and Carl O’Donnell in the 4x100m medley relay. The Marc Hinton SCORERS time would have placed them on roll among sixth at last year’s world The Townsville Crocodiles NZ Breakers 82 (Thomas championships, and earned wanted the New Zealand Abercrombie 20, Gary Wilkinson them selection for London, Breakers in this NBL semi- 19, Cedric Jackson 15), Townsville pending final invitation from Crocodiles 99 (Peter Crawford 26, Maadi medals final series and now we know Fina. Eddie Gill 21, Elvin Mims 13, Jacob why. Holmes 12). 1Q: 21-19; HT: 41-44; There was further cel- Kevin Tutty tough; there is not very much The Crocs came to Auck- 3Q: 59-74. ebration when Olympic open between the top crews,’’ said land with a fair idea how they water hope Kane Radford St Margaret’s College lifted Ingham. wanted to play and executed eclipsed the last of Danyon five medals on the first day of Henry Lissaman teamed their game-plan beautifully officially listed at 8146, but Tense time: Breakers Loader’s national records finals at the Maadi Cup with Josh Rodger to win their last night to prevail 99-82 and credit had to go to the Crocs coach Andrej Lemanis when he won the men’s 1500m rowing regatta at Lake gold for Christchurch Boys’ take a firm, and dramatic, who shot the lights out in the issues directions to his freestyle in 15:27.13sec, just Ruataniwha yesterday, and High School.