KEY POINTS:
Air NZ Cup
Otago 31
North Harbour 22
Neither North Harbour nor Otago has had a vintage season so far in the Air New Zealand Cup championship and that was reflected in the sparse attendance for their clash at Carisbrook last night.
But at least the scramble each is having to gain a playoff spot did provide some competitive needle to the clash, with Otago proving the more penetrative of two mediocre sides to win deservedly 31-22, and probably secure their place in the eventual top eight.
Harbour's loss locked them into the competition's bottom four and, for a side, which started the season as Ranfurly Shield holders, it has been an ignominious slump, compounded by having to play out the last 10 minutes last night with 14 men, replacement hooker James Parson having been sent to the sin bin. For a side not long ago noted for backline flair, they almost went the entire 80 minutes tryless.
Otago led 13-9 at halftime but, after looking early as if they might run away with the game, showed some frailities in the lineouts, especially in the second quarter, and in the tackled ball area where they were punished by Canterbury referee Josh Noonan.
After warnings for deliberately slowing the ball down at the breakdown, second five-eighths Aaron Bancroft was sin-binned and, given the chance of four penalty shots at goal, Harbour fullback Jack McPhee landed three to keep his side in the game.
Yet for all the pressure they were under, the Otago defence did well to keep Harbour tryless, the closest call coming when, after some heavy forward pressure, Anthony Boric was held up over the line.
Otago looked the more inventive side in the opening 20 minutes and, with penalties to fullback Charlie Hore and a splendid individual try by young first five-eighths Chris Noakes, jumped away quickly to a 13-3 lead.
Noakes received the ball from a lineout 40m out and with a searing burst crashed over in Rudi Wulf's tackle near the corner flag, gaining the try only after a long review by the video referee.
Soon after Otago crossed again but what could have been a decisive break at 20-3 was ruled out when Noonan ruled the pass from wing Ben Smith to fullback Charlie Hore to be forward.
McPhee brought Harbour to within a point at 13-12 with his fourth penalty.
However, Hore replied soon after and then - in the best movement of the match - Bancroft and replacement wing Matt Saunders combined in some slick interpassing for the side's second try. And while Hore was astray with an earlier penalty and a conversion that was the game's vital score.
Otago 31 (C. Noakes, M. Saunders, U. Koolofai tries, C. Hore 2 con, 4 pen) North Harbour 22 (A. Tuitavake try, J. McPhee con, 5 pen). HT: 13-9.
