North Harbour's tilt for the ITM Cup Championship semifinals is over, while Otago have all but qualified for the top four after a deserved bonus point win in Albany.
As ever, Harbour showed glimpses of individual brilliance amid a morass of mistakes, and they paid dearlyfor a poor exit strategy and inaccuracy around kickoff receipts. And yet there were, extraordinarily, four tries apiece.
The Massey duo of Pita Ahki and Nafi Tuitavake sparked their side with two superb tries, but their ball was too often slowed at source by some tigerish Otago play, led by the likes of blazer game blindside flanker Jackson Hemopo. Michael Little was again penetrative at second five and scored two tries, including the bonus point five-pointer.
First five Peter Breen scored 24 points for Otago, including a try, while centre Matt Faddes was a constant threat.
Otago looked better organised with their pods and had, in fullback Michael Collins, a willing counter-attacker. North Harbour, conversely, looked loose with their passing again, and grassed a few high balls in a funny old first spell. They also persisted in kicking ball away to the Otago back three. One gentleman in the crowd had seen enough and cried out: "Stop kicking it to them!" It was hard to argue.
And yet North Harbour uncorked a nice move from which wing Tuitavake found himself in the clear. He fed Little on an inside ball for the second five's fifth ITM Cup try of 2015. It took the fans by surprise, or at least the media.
But sandwiching that score was an opportunist try to Breen from a well-weighted left foot grubber by Collins, and flanker James Lentjes' try exposed some soft home defence.
Around that, halfback Josh Renton was getting the better of Bryn Hall and Hemopo was throwing himself about to good effect. Their strategy when North Harbour had the ball was to try and keep the man off the ground in the maul. It worked, for the most part. As did their counter-rucking.
Tevita Li made a couple of good charges, but he continues to be under-employed on the left wing.
North Harbour's final game is at home to Northland next Sunday, while Otago travels to Northland next Wednesday.
Otago 39 (Peter Breen, James Lentjes, Jackson Hemopo, Jack Wilson tries; Breen 2 con, 5 pen) North Harbour 32 (Michael Little 2, Nafi Tuitavake, Pita Ahki tries; Daniel Halangahu 2 con, 2 pen, Matt McGahan con) Halftime: 16-10 Otago
