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The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Anscombe kicks 14 points as Chiefs beat Highlanders 19-7 in Super Rugby

By: The Associated Press

Posted: 03/22/2013 3:43 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 03/22/2013 4:10 AM

HAMILTON, New Zealand - Fullback Gareth Anscombe kicked 14 points as the Chiefs beat the Highlanders 19-7 in Super Rugby on Friday, retaining its spot at the top of the New Zealand conference while keeping the Highlanders winless after four games.

Both teams scored one try but Anscombe's kicking, his four conversions and four penalties from eight attempts, tipped the balance in a close and hard-fought match. Flyhalf Colin Slade kicked only one conversion from three attempts for the Highlanders.

The Dunedin-based Highlanders tried to play the match at pace, to stretch the Hamilton-based Chiefs who were on a short turnaround after playing their last two matches in South Africa. The Highlanders made too many errors, feeding the attacking game of the Chiefs who are one of the best teams in the competition from turnover possession.

Though the Highlanders enjoyed 70 per cent of territory and 65 per cent of possession in the first half, their errors allowed the Chiefs to take a 13-7 lead to halftime.

Anscombe kicked a third-minute penalty and centre Tim Nanai-Williams scored a brilliant, runaway try from a Highlanders error in the seventh minute to give the Chiefs an early 10-0.

Lock Josh Bekhuis tried to make a blindside break to sustain a Highlanders' attack from their own territory but he lost control of the ball, Nanai-Williams pounced and dashed 50 metres to score.

The Highlanders' All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith slashed the margin to 10-7 with a try in the 19th minute. After sustained Highlanders pressure, Smith darted to the blindside of a five-meter scrum and beat untypically lax defence to score.

Anscombe landed his second penalty to fill out the halftrime Margin and, after missing his first two attempts in the second spell, landed two more to take the match beyond the Highlanders.

The Chiefs, defending champions, now have four wins from five matches this season while the Highlanders remain at the foot of the championship table without a win from four games.

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Chiefs 19 (Tim Nanai-Williams try; Gareth Anscombe conversion, 4 penalties), Highlanders 7 (Aaron Smith try; Colin Slade conversion). HT: 13-7.

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