Rugby: Otago open with tight win over Auckland

Otago overcame a high error count and resolute Auckland defence to win their NPC rugby match 6-3 at Carisbrook in Dunedin tonight.

It was a dour, tryless affair on a slippery Carisbrook surface which meant handling mistakes were plentiful.

Otago boasted a superior scrum and tidy lineout but their general play was littered with mistakes against the defending champions, who offered stout defence and only a hint of backline invention.

Otago goalkicker, fullback Willie Walker, accounted for all his side's points with two penalties from five attempts, while Auckland's sole offering was one penalty from Brent Ward.

All the points came before halftime and there would have been some unease within the Otago camp that they could not add to the scoreline despite enjoying a significant advantage in territory.

In all, they spent 22 minutes of the match camped inside the Auckland 22 but were unable to convert that into points.

The game produced just one line break, to Auckland second five-eighth Sam Tuitupou, as both teams cancelled one another out in an uninspiring game.

- NZPA