Dermody rapt derby run broken

DING dong, the streak is dead. Clarke Dermody has waited an awfully long time to talk about his Highlanders team beating a New Zealand rival.

Their 19game losing run in derbies, which was becoming something of an obsession to outsiders and an unwanted albatross around the Highlanders’ neck, ended in glorious fashion and against the perfect opposition on Saturday night.

Yet Dermody, as is his way, was staying grounded after a 3229 win over the Crusaders that meant a Highlanders coach could make the winning speech in a derby for the first time in over three years.

‘‘Oh, it’s pleasing,’’ Dermody deadpanned.

‘‘I guess it’s the reaction we’ve had since we played the Hurricanes here and didn’t play well, and had that tour in Aussie that didn’t quite work out for us. ‘‘The boys applied themselves to changing our game back to how we started, and you can see them playing with a lot of energy now, which is probably the most pleasing thing.

‘‘That’s a good team tonight, the Crusaders.

‘‘We knew if we could put them under pressure, and put them where we’ve been in the last six weeks, when things aren’t quite going well, then potentially they start to chase.

‘‘It was good the boys were able to stick to the plan.’’

The Highlanders, led by first five Cameron Millar, were excellent bordering on sublime in the first half.

For sheer energy and execution, it was probably as good as they have played in the Dermody era.

‘‘I thought they executed really well.

‘‘We asked them for the lift in intent that was going to be needed, because of what the game was and how important it was, not just for the points table but because 18,000 people came to watch us, and for the history of both clubs.

‘‘I’m just stoked for the boys to be able to do what they did.’’ The Highlanders did it without their best player, too.

Billy Harmon is in careerbest form and would have revelled in the chance to put one over his old team had he not sustained a nasty cut the previous week.

Dermody felt the loss of their skipper proved to be a galvanising force for the Highlanders and forced senior leaders to step up.

‘‘I think that showed, particularly in that last 10 minutes, defending for as long as we did. That’s probably the most pleasing thing, outside of winning.’’ Another shining light was the lineout.

The Highlanders have had young hookers and a rotating cast of locks this season, and the set piece has occasionally suffered as a result, but it operated superbly on Saturday night and there were also some innovative set plays.

Dermody beamed when asked to comment on the comingofage performance from young first five Cameron Millar.

‘‘He controlled the game for large periods through his kicking game and his direction.

‘‘I know he’s been working hard around that stuff, and that’s now three games he’s done a great job.’’

The Highlanders remain seventh on the table but they now have a sixpoint lead on the Fijian Drua, who were thumped 4810 by the Force in Perth on Saturday night.

It could mean the Highlanders will make the playoffs even if they do not win another game, though it seems likely they will still want to beat the Drua in Dunedin in a couple of weeks to be sure.

Their task this weekend is daunting as they head to Eden Park to try to wrestle the Gordon Hunter Trophy off the Blues, who top the table after a 3127 win over the Hurricanes.