NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

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 / Sport / Rugby / NPC

Rugby: Otago win sixth straight to remain on top

Herald online
17 Sep, 2016 04:40 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

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

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Fletcher Smith of Otago. Photo / Getty

Fletcher Smith of Otago. Photo / Getty

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Otago's winning streak is now running at six.

The runaway Mitre 10 Cup Championship leaders brought the grit and the requisite accuracy to put paid to a committed but profligate North Harbour at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium. But while Otago have favoured the free-wheeling approach for much of their unbeaten season, they were challenged by North Harbour at the set-piece and with questions asked of their defensive line. For the most part, they held the line, answering those questions in the affirmative, despite missing 15 tackles to eight, according to ThreeNrugby stats.

The key numbers were the 14 handling errors (to Otago's eight) by North Harbour, who just look like a side so close to making the breakthrough if they could hold onto the ball. They challenge physically and create chances in the backline, but too often they push a pass in contact or knock the ball on.

"The boys are really tired. There was a lot of running and they are a dangerous team," said a relieved Otago skipper, No 8 Paul Grant, who was in the thick of Otago's pack effort and carried with venom.

North Harbour captain Chris Vui won his lineout ball again, but cut a disconsolate and frustrated figure straight after the clash.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We trained to not make mistakes, so we've got to cut the errors out," said the lock.

Otago led 14-13 at the half, but that came with some luck. Prop Craig Millar latched onto a Tom Franklin offload to sprint 25m for the opening try, but there was enough doubt to say it was a forward pass. First five Fletcher Smith kicked well, both out of hand and off the tee, where he was five from six, along with making a trysaving tackle on Vui.

North Harbour were dangerous on attack at times, but their passing was often shoddy and No 10 Bryn Gatland twice committed the cardinal sin of failing to find touch from penalties. However, they did reduce the margin to one when Michael Little made a break to set up his midfield partner Matt Vaega, who looked likely for most of the match.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Otago hooker Sam Anderson-Heather's 44th minute try was critical as that halted some of Harbour's momentum, both teams having entered the second spell with intent. And though Brandon Nansen made an emphatic impact off the bench, both aerially and with the ball, the errors kept mounting for North Harbour.

The pleasing sight was replacement back Marty Swart making his return from two seasons of knee reconstructions for the visitors.

Otago travel to Christchurch next Saturday for a crossover derby with Canterbury, while North Harbour are back at home to Southland the following day.

Otago 24 (C. Millar, S. Anderson-Heather tries; F. Smith con, 4 pens)
North Harbour 13 (M. Vaega try; B. Gatland con, 2 pens)
HT: 14-13

Discover more

NPC

Magpies too strong in battle of bottom-placed sides

15 Sep 09:15 AM
NPC

One of the biggest upsets in NPC history

17 Sep 06:50 AM
NPC

Rugby: Counties stun Auckland at the death

18 Sep 05:30 AM
NPC

Waikato retain Shield in dramatic draw

18 Sep 07:05 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from NPC

Rugby|npc

Ex-All Black tells of surviving 'terminal' cancer and battling brother for black jersey

21 Jun 12:00 AM
New Zealand

'Never felt so alone': Foster lifts lid on battles with NZ Rugby bosses

17 Jun 05:00 PM
Super Rugby

'Wrecking ball': Ex-All Blacks midfielder signs with Moana Pasifika

10 Jun 12:34 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from NPC

Ex-All Black tells of surviving 'terminal' cancer and battling brother for black jersey

Ex-All Black tells of surviving 'terminal' cancer and battling brother for black jersey

21 Jun 12:00 AM

At 15, Greg Cooper was told he had only six months to live.

'Never felt so alone':  Foster lifts lid on battles with NZ Rugby bosses

'Never felt so alone': Foster lifts lid on battles with NZ Rugby bosses

17 Jun 05:00 PM
'Wrecking ball': Ex-All Blacks midfielder signs with Moana Pasifika

'Wrecking ball': Ex-All Blacks midfielder signs with Moana Pasifika

10 Jun 12:34 AM
Former All Black hails 'game-changing' brain test

Former All Black hails 'game-changing' brain test

23 Apr 01:15 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

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
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • 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
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP