Harbour - shield to yield in one hard lesson

Otago's defence has been a strength all season and they make no mistake with Viliame Waqaseduadua yesterday. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Otago 56 North Harbour 21

The gloom was palpable as North Harbour's top brass pondered the previous 80 minutes shortly after being dumped out of the national championship last night.

"Not the greatest way to end a season," coach Allan Pollock wryly observed.

That's for sure. The seven-try-to-three spanking was all over by halftime, Otago having shot out to a 36-0 lead, running in four tries in the 10 minutes before the interval.

Harbour haven't been the same since winning the Ranfurly Shield a fortnight ago in Christchurch and yesterday lacked the fire and purpose of an Otago side few outside the far south had given a chance of victory.

More fool them. Otago hit the game running and were 8-0 up, playing with a stiffish wind at their backs, when perhaps the decisive moment arrived.

Harbour finally got into gear, Rudi Wulf, one of their better players yesterday, made a jinking run. Luke McAlister got clear, chipped ahead, regathered and seemed sure to score only to be cut down by a brilliant tackle by his opposite Nick Evans just short of the line.

McAlister popped the AC joint in a shoulder when he hit the ground and within a few minutes he was gone.

"Games teeter on moments like that," Pollock said.

Otago, sniffing blood and with Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver and Keith Cameron the frontline of a formidably good scrum, turned on the heat.

Impressive wing Karne Hesketh sped round a weak tackle by George Pisi to scamper over in the right corner; hardworking No 8 Adam Thomson dummied and forced his way over from a scrum; Ezra Taylor burst clear from the restart, flying captain Josh Blackie carried it on and Callum Bruce darted between two defenders to score by the posts; before left wing Matt Saunders kicked ahead and got a good bounce to complete the mini rout.

Evans banged over each conversion, and all the action was accompanied by whoops of delight from the Otago coaches' box.

Harbour were never going to peg that gap back.

They gave it a go, Vili Waqaseduadua, their most threatening back, and Wulf combined for the latter to score early in the second spell; captain Rua Tipoki got over 15min from the end; and Anthony Tuitavake shot clear in the final moment.

But with all shape gone from the game and players out on their feet, Otago grabbed tries to fullback Craig Clare - a brilliant effort he began on his own tryline and finished with a 35m sprint with help from replacements Charlie Hore and Chris Smylie - and lock James Ryan.

Otago beat Waikato in their round robin game. Can they do it again?

"They've got a great set-piece," Pollock said. "You've got to try and deny Waikato the ball. [Otago have] got great defence and have had all year. Those things win you semifinals, so absolutely they've got a chance."

Harbour will reflect that they won the Ranfurly Shield for the first time this season. But Tipoki's body language afterwards told its own story.

"It couldn't have gone much worse. Really gutting," he said.