Feeney boots Otago into semis

10.00pm

OTAGO 21 WELLINGTON 20

Otago first five-eighth Blair Feeney kicked seven penalties, the last one with two minutes remaining, to hand Otago a dramatic win in tonight's NPC first division rugby match in Dunedin.

Wellington scored two tries to none but the boot of Feeney saw the home side to a deserved victory in front of a much-increased crowd at Carisbrook.

In a game which could prove critical to the top-four makeup, Otago all but assured themselves of a place in the semifinals, lifting from second to first.

Fourth-placed Wellington will be fortunate to hold on to their place after the remaining round-seven matches are played this weekend.

It was appropriate that Feeney should kick the winning points in the 78th minute -- from 40m out after a Wellington offside infringement.

Otago relied on the boot of Feeney, not just for points but for field possession in a match they dominated.

With their pack having an edge throughout, dangerous Otago wingers Aisea Tuilevu and Seru Rabeni were largely employed close to the rucks as the ball rarely went wide.

After having control of the first half, Otago were unlucky that the scores were level 3-3 at halftime, a Feeney penalty cancelled by one to opposite Riki Flutey.

Otago came closest to scoring a try, and could argue they had done so, when blindside flanker Kelvin Middleton forced the ball over the tryline while it was in the back of a Wellington ruck.

In one of several baffling decisions made by referee Gary Wise, he ruled Middleton offside, although the law book says the ball is deemed playable in any situation if it is in the in-goal area.

Feeney capitalised on Otago's field position with regular penalty goals in the second spell but Wellington looked to have snatched victory when a double-try burst in the 63rd and 69th minute gave them a 20-15 lead.

A gap opened up down the blindside for halfback Jason Spice to score the game's first try and the second went to replacement second five-eighth Paul Steinmetz, who pounced on an error by Otago fullback Neil Brew when he failed to control a long kick.

Otago loose forwards Taine Randell and Josh Blackie, and lock Filipo Levi, were prominent around the field while Wellington outside backs Tana Umaga and Christian Cullen looked threatening with limited opportunities.

Otago captain Taine Randell said he felt "absolute relief" to get the victory and heaped praise on Feeney.

"He's played well the last few weeks, especially with his kicking," Randell said.

"He's a skinny little guy but from 40-odd metres out, he never looked like missing."

Randell said it was important to win with a tough end to the season looming.

"We tried hard, maybe a little bit too hard but I'm proud of the way we got the win.

"We've got Auckland next week at Eden Park and then Canterbury at Jade Stadium so it's getting tougher and tougher."

Opposite Umaga admitted his team had nobody to blame but themselves.

"We're pretty disappointed, all the heads are down in the changing room," he said.

"But in the end discipline let us down and they kicked the penalties. We thought we might have got back into it but again we let ourselves down."

- NZPA