Highlanders 12 Waratahs 15

WARATAHS back-rower Wycliff Palu almost turned from hero to villain in his side's 15-12 win against the Highlanders last night.

In often torrential rain at Carisbrook, the Wallabies No.8 scored a crucial 60th-minute try to put NSW in front.

But he was also sin-binned for punching Highlanders halfback Jimmy Cowan after going over the line to score, leaving the Waratahs one man short at a time the game could have gone either way.

Palu's try - which put NSW 15-12 up after Kurtley Beale missed the conversion - was set up by outside-centre Ben Jacobs after a kick by Highlanders No.10 Mike Delany dropped straight into his hands.

Fortunately for NSW - and Palu - Highlanders goalkicker James Wilson hit the post with the resulting penalty.

And, right on the bell, Wilson missed with another penalty from a difficult position on the right which would have given the Highlanders a draw.

After the game, Waugh lambasted Palu's sin-binning as way over the top.

"I thought it was pretty harsh," the skipper said of the yellow card. "What people need to realise is that it is a heated game and, every now and then, tempers are going to flare.

"That sort of [punishment], 10 minutes without a man, has a significant impact on the game. Whether that warranted it, I would question. It is disappointing those decisions are made."

Waugh also criticised the Highlanders being awarded a penalty for the incident, even though fullback Wilson missed the attempt.

"To give the penalty and also the sin bin was far too harsh," Waugh said.

On the game generally, Waugh said: "It was pretty ugly. I think both teams would have been disappointed with he way they played."

Waugh admitted the wet conditions were no excuse, saying: "We played two trial games in those conditions. We trained in those conditions. It absolutely poured in Sydney on Thursday.

"Particularly in the first half, we had a fair bit of interplay and we passed the ball a little.

"In the second half it just rained harder. We gave it a go in terms of playing more expansively.

"But it is hard in those conditions to open the game up. That is probably why it was a little stop-start [there were] and so many mistakes."

Coach Ewen McKenzie added: "We tried to play more open football and, inevitably, if you have more possession you are going to have more mistakes.

"We wanted to move them around. They are a big pack and we wanted to make them work hard."

Before setting up Palu's try, Jacobs had scored after great lead-up work from Waugh.

Beale converted it and kicked a penalty in response to two tries, one converted, to the Highlanders, who had a 12-10 lead at half-time.

NSW were again solid in defence but were far too often their own worst enemies, with errors and poor choice of play and execution. They kicked when they should have run, as winger Lote Tuqiri showed with a bust at the 43rd minute that sadly ended with him putting boot to ball.

A magnificent 35-metre run in the 49th minute by Waratahs No.6 Rocky Elsom set up a try-scoring opportunity - one that hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, who came on for Adam Freier at the end of the first half - seized as he picked and charged from the back of the ruck. However, the TV match official ruled he was held up.

Then, in the 52nd minute, a Beale penalty goal attempt hit the right post and bounce back to ignite another Highlanders counterattack.

But again the Waratahs' defence held firm.

WARATAHS 15 (Ben Jacobs Wycliff Palu tries Kurtley Beale pen con) bt HIGHLANDERS 12 (Fetu'u Vainikolo Adam Thomson tries James Wilson con) at Carisbrook Stadium, Dunedin.