A clobbering for Northland's high penalty count

Otago 41 Northland 3

You could sense a dose of despair in David Holwell's voice yesterday as he wondered when his Northland team will start playing smart rugby.

Otago easily beat the first division cellar dwellers 41-3 in Whangarei, scoring five tries to nab a bonus point and move into the top four.

But Northland, with six losses from as many matches, didn't help their situation by conceding too many needless penalties.

"You've got to learn the hard way, but you'd think they would have learned by now," Holwell said of the penalty issue, particularly at ruck time.

Northland had first use of the wind in slushy, rainy conditions but turned with only a Holwell penalty to show for their efforts, 17-3 down.

Nick Evans, slicing through non-existent defence, and hooker Jason Macdonald scored tries before the break. Three more, from wing Matt Saunders, replacement Craig Clare and second five-eighth Seilala Mapusua, rounded off a good day's work for Otago.

Evans bagged 16 points with a 100 per cent kicking return,

"We stuck to our game plan and ground out a pretty convincing win," Otago captain Craig Newby said.

Otago looked particularly strong around the fringes, James Ryan and Tom Donnelly ensured regular supply of ball from the lineout and Otago had more polish in most areas.

Holwell said his players just had to believe in themselves when taking on strong teams from the Super 12 bases.

"You've got to play with heart. We might not be the most skilful players or the biggest or the fastest but we've got to make up for it with a lot of heart," he said.

Otago's ambitions for the season are vastly different from their hosts'.

Right now, Northland would settle for a bonus point to at least have something to show for their efforts. "We've just got to keep battling away," Holwell said.

Wellington 53 Southland 12 Expectations of a decent ding-dong battle were gone before halftime. Wellington turned on the style, led 39-0 at the interval, and Southland spent most of their energy trotting back to restart at halfway.

For a team which have shown such steel and resolve in the last month, it was hard to fathom Southland's capitulation.

Wellington are themselves often hard to fathom, but they ran in seven tries through getting the ball out to free-running wide men.

Big wing Roy Kinikinilau profited from Wellington's policy of spreading the ball to land a hat-trick while fullback Shannon Paku bagged a double.

Southland were left in Wellington's wake as the pack, led by No 8 Thomas Waldrom and hooker Mahonri Schwalger, punched through the Southland forwards to give their backline ample space and time.

Southland got the last two tries, by replacement Matt Harrison, and through a penalty try when wing Watisoni Lotawa, chasing a kick through, was held back by Conrad Smith.

Southland captain Clarke Dermody summed it up aptly.

"You can't give a team like Wellington 40 points and try and come back."