Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Northland lose in a tit-for-tat battle in Rotorua

Imran Ali
By Imran Ali
Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·
15 Oct, 2021 08:36 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Rene Ranger was one of the star performers for Northland in the side's 13-24 loss to Otago in Rotorua tonight. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Rene Ranger was one of the star performers for Northland in the side's 13-24 loss to Otago in Rotorua tonight. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland were left to rue missed opportunities as Otago hung in there to claim a 13-24 victory in the Bunnings Warehouse NPC cliffhanger in Rotorua tonight.

Despite enjoying the lion's share of territory, possession, and time in the opposition 22, the Taniwha failed to capitalise on a number of scoring opportunities in the second half.

With a player down and penalties mounting against Otago, Northland hammered away in the opposition 22m but the men from the deep south, particularly skipper James Lentjes and No 8 Dylan Nel defended outstandingly well.

Just when Northland needed to be patient and keep chipping away, they conceded penalties at the wrong end of the field and Sio Tomkinson thrust a dagger through the Northland heart with a try in the dying minute when his side was up by just four points.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Otago's physicality and passes out wide troubled the Northland defence in the opening quarter but the Cambridge Blue fought back with two unconverted tries, trailing at halftime by just seven points.

Centurion Rene Ranger toiled hard throughout and was instrumental in a try to skipper Sam Nock and nearly scored one himself, only to come up inches short.

He played well in both defence and attack and effected crucial turnovers and linked up well with the backs.

Wing Jone Macilai also had an outstanding game and so did the loose forwards, particularly in the second half with the game in the balance.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Taniwha will rue the two tries they conceded inside the first 10 minutes and flyhalf Dan Hawkins missing a relatively easy kick from in front and two conversions.

Fullback Rivez Reihana's kick for lineout in the Otago half going over the deadball line and Isi Manu conceding a penalty in a tackle after peeling off a scrum on the blindside in a bullocking run towards the tryline were crucial mistakes at a time when Northland were on a roll in the last quarter.

It all made for a horribly painful night for Northland, playing their home game in Rotorua due to Covid restrictions, after losing five games and winning just one so far.

Their next match is against Bay of Plenty next week in Tauranga where the team has been based at since October 8.

Discover more

NPC

Home game shifted to Rotorua due to Covid restrictions

14 Oct 04:00 PM
NPC

Taniwha's travel exemption approved

08 Oct 10:00 PM
NPC

Mooloo feel the wrath of Northland in a cracker game

03 Oct 04:00 PM

Rene Ranger's 100th game celebrated in style

01 Oct 08:24 AM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

The inspiring lives behind this year's Civic Honours recipients

Northern Advocate

'My children were washed away, one by one': Captain of the Capitaine Bougainville recalls the tragedy 50 years on

Opinion

Opinion: Gambling with the future of sport and recreation clubs


Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

The inspiring lives behind this year's Civic Honours recipients
Northern Advocate

The inspiring lives behind this year's Civic Honours recipients

Alan Bayly, Harry Carter, Bett Harvey and Darrell Trigg are this year's recipients.

05 Sep 11:00 PM
'My children were washed away, one by one': Captain of the Capitaine Bougainville recalls the tragedy 50 years on
Northern Advocate

'My children were washed away, one by one': Captain of the Capitaine Bougainville recalls the tragedy 50 years on

05 Sep 05:00 PM
Opinion: Gambling with the future of sport and recreation clubs
Opinion

Opinion: Gambling with the future of sport and recreation clubs

05 Sep 04:50 PM


NZ’s convenience icon turns 35
Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

02 Sep 09:23 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP