Rugby: Taranaki cling to playoff hopes

Taranaki's 38-10 win over Otago keep the Amber and Blacks in the hunt for a semi-final spot. Photo / Getty Images

Taranaki left the controversy of the past week behind them to score an emphatic Air NZ Cup rugby win over Otago in New Plymouth.

Taranaki won 38-10 to keep alive their slim playoffs hopes while consigning Otago to also-ran status.

Otago's seventh defeat in 10 matches leaves them without any hope of challenging for the semifinals while Taranaki, in ninth place on 24 points, at least have plenty to play for in coming weeks.

Taranaki were well worth the result, with three tries in the third quarter propelling them away from the southerners.

Their organised and clinical performance comes after a difficult week for Taranaki, who were without five players who were stood down after breaking the team's drinking protocols following a match against Waikato last week.

They may have had an inferior lineout tonight but they were superior everywhere else.

A scoring burst immediately after halftime gave them the momentum needed in wet conditions after they led just 12-10 at the interval following four first-half penalties to first five-eighth Willie Ripia.

They ignored the slippery surface three minutes after the resumption when attacking from deep inside their own 22 after snaffling a turnover.

The ball was quickly directed to wing Nathan Hohaia, who scampered up the touchline before offloading for centre Paul Perez to run half the length of the field.

They were in again 4min later in altogether different circumstances when captain and prop Tony Penn was driven over following a rumbling maul after a lineout.

With Ripia converting both tries, Taranaki had suddenly skipped clear 26-10 and they protected that advantage when desperate defence held out Otago hooker Jason MacDonald, who looked likely to score after a lineout variation saw him squeeze along the touchline.

The expected Otago comeback did not eventuate and it was Taranaki who again scored next, with Penn bagging a double when he showed nifty footwork to loom on the shoulder of Ben Souness after the No 8 broke through in midfield.

Taranaki, who had scored just 12 tries in nine previous outings, then lifted their night's haul to four when substitute Nemia Soqeta used his considerable strength to score 5min from fulltime.

Otago had started the match in promising fashion when halfback Sean Romans scored a try in just the fourth minute after skipping around the retreating Taranaki defenders following a lineout take and break by No 8 Adam Thomson.

Sadly for them, that remained their highlight.

Taranaki 38 (Tony Penn 2, Paul Perez, Nemia Soqeta tries; Willie Ripia 4 pen, 3 con) Otago 10 (Sean Romans try; Glenn Dickson pen, con). Halftime: 12-10.

- NZPA