Chiefs storm to victory against Highlanders after Leroy Carter's stunning 100m try

Saturday, 21 February 2026

At Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin: Chiefs 26 (Samisoni Taukei’aho tries 7min, 61min, Leroy Carter try 32min, Kaylum Boshier try 68min; Josh Jacomb 2 con) Highlanders 23 (Jona Nareki try 2min, Caleb Tangitau try 74min, Veveni Lasaqa try 80min; Cameron Millar 2 pen, con). HT: 14-7. Yellow cards: (Jona Nareki, Highlanders, Reuben O’Neill, Chiefs).

New Zealand was crying out for a Kiwi derby worth of the name and the Chiefs and Highlanders delivered right on cue on Saturday.

In front of a crowd of 15,476 — the Zoo enclosure was packed — the two sides produced a spectacle that was far superior to the fare in the opening round: full of attacking intent and some real moments of quality.

The Chiefs led 14-7 at halftime and did just enough with their chances in the second half to get the job done, with close-range tries to Samisoni Taukei’aho and Kaylum Boshier.

But they were made to fight all the way and the Highlanders scored two late unconverted tries — including a superb effort by All Black-in-waiting Caleb Tangitau — to reflect their worthy performance on the scoreboard.

The game swung on two big Chiefs breakouts while they were under pressure — one in each half.

The first one that led to a try to All Blacks and Chiefs winger Leroy Carter in the 32nd minute was tinged with controversy.

After the Highlanders had almost scored when Sean Withy couldn’t grab a Cameron Millar crossfield kick in the in-goal, Quinn Tupaea took a quick goalline dropout, raced upfield and passed infield to Carter, who scorched his way to the line for a coast-to-coast try.

But replays showed that the legality of Tupaea’s dropout was inconclusive, to say the least, with the midfielder appearing to simply drop the ball directly onto his right boot.

However, as with Tupou Vaai’s five-pointer try against the Blues last week — subsequently deemed illegal by tournament organisers — the try stood.

The second big moment, however, was all down to the class and athletic prowess of the Chiefs’ All Blacks locks, Josh Lord and Vaa’i.

After Folau Fakatava had lost the ball, Lord picked it up and raced 70 metres downfield before finding Vaa’i in support.

The Highlanders managed to drag him down but Nareki killed the ball at the breakdown and was sent to the sin bin.

The home side spent the next 10 minutes defending desperately but eventually the pressure told and Taukei’aho pounced on a botched lineout to score his second try of the evening in the 61st minute.

Josh Jacomb’s conversion took the lead out to 21-13 and a Kaylum Boshier try shortly afterwards pushed the game beyond the Highlanders.

It extended the Chiefs’ recent winning streak against the southerners to eight games in succession, stretching back to 2021.

It took 20 minutes for the first scrum in an entertaining start to the game, with both sides showing plenty of enterprise on attack.

The Highlanders scored first after a bad read on defence by Chiefs winger Kyren Taumoefolau, with Lucas Casey and Caleb Tangitau connecting in a nice exchange of passes to set up Nareki in his 50th game.

The Chiefs struck back with a maul try to Taukei’aho, but the story of the early exchanges was the midfield battle between Timoci Tavatavanawai and Tupaea.

Tavatavanawai repeatedly though himself at the defensive line and there were some shuddering collisions between the two All Blacks.

The anticipated duel between No 10s Millar and Jacomb was less prominent, with both guilty of some aimless kicking.

All the danger was coming from the outside backsin both sides, with Tangitau, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Taumoefolau and Carter making inroads with ball in hand.

Jacomb grew into the game in the second half and showed some nice attacking glimpses, but he will leave Dunedin feeling that he will be joining a Highlanders team on the up in 2027.