Highlanders to try the impossible without Cowan

It is a task that no team in world rugby would relish, with even an All Black side wary if they had to travel to Loftus Versfeld to face a Bulls side that are defending champions, unbeaten this year, on a 13 game winning streak at home - and to top it off, rested from a bye last week.

In fact, since 2004 the Bulls have only lost eight times in Pretoria.

Their last loss was against the Hurricanes in the 12th April 2008, when the capital based franchise ran rampant and won 50-22.

If we had to try and find a positive, it could be that while they rarely lose at home, when they do it tends to go a bit pear shaped, with four of their five last defeats being by more than 13+ points.

The Highlanders will try to put this all out of their mind, but their task has become so much tougher, as they will attempt to break “the streak” without tenacious captain and All Blacks scrum half Jimmy Cowan.

The number nine dislocated his pinky finger in his side’s 33-0 loss to the rampaging Stormers, and the tricky injury will keep him out of action for at least a week.

He has been pencilled in to return on Saturday 20th March against the Sharks.

His brother Scott is en-route to South Africa, with the Southland scrumhalf likely to be on the bench. Otago’s Sean Romans will probably start, while Stags prop Jamie Mackintosh will likely lead the team.

The Highlanders are in need of a minor miracle, but if they were in need of a boost, a look at their record against the two time champions would give them more than a little hope.

Last year, they were the toast of the town – albeit in Palmerston North! – When the Highlanders did a “Bulls” on the Bulls and didn’t just win, but smashed the then champions elect, beating them 36-12.

As for Pretoria, it really isn’t a place the Highlanders need to be that nervous at.

The Southerners have won three and drawn one match from six attempts in the Bulls backyard, and overall it makes for even prettier reading.

In 12 games against the Bulls, the Highlanders have lost only three times.

Over history they have executed some wonderful wins over their opponent this weekend, holding them scoreless in 2005, when the Highlanders won 23-0 in Dunedin, and back in 2002 put a half century on them in Pretoria, winning 54-17.

It will not be easy, as few teams can run with the Bulls, but for the Highlanders this weekend they have the opportunity to turn their season around in stunning fashion.

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