KEY POINTS:
Daylight saving may be with us but it has done nothing to brighten the gloom for Air NZ Cup rugby strugglers Otago.
There is every prospect that the Super 14 franchise base province will miss out on a place in the quarter-finals after their latest setback.
It is an ignominious predicament but one of their own making after Otago slumped to 11th place on the back of a 10-39 reverse to Waikato in Hamilton on Friday when the home side's captain, Liam Messam, did most of the damage with a hat-trick of tries.
Saturday's match against runaway competition leaders Wellington in the closing round of round robin matches is one Otago simply must win to retain any hope of featuring in the play-offs, but it appears a bridge too far.
The only factor in Otago's favour is that it is a home fixture, but that has not helped Otago this season.
Wellington will head to Dunedin determined to maintain their unbeaten record as the play-offs loom, their players mightily relieved to have held on to the Ranfurly Shield after repulsing a gallant challenge from Tasman in the capital on Saturday.
A week after relieving Auckland of the shield, Wellington were in danger of promptly losing it as Tasman played above themselves when leading 13-11 entering the last 10 minutes.
Wellington eventually got home 26-20 - failing to secure a bonus point for the first time this year - after a crucial decision by referee Matt Stanish to sinbin outstanding Tasman halfback Kahn Fotuali'i for slowing down the ball helped their cause.
Wellington took toll of their numerical advantage to score late tries by lock Jeremy Thrush and No 8 Thomas Waldrom to seal the win.
It was Wellington's shakiest performance of the season but with the shield now safely tucked away for the summer they can turn their full attention to the cup title.
While Otago's cause looks hopeless, the ambitions of five other teams will do down to the wire.
The leading five teams are safe but an intense battle for places six to eight will leave two of Auckland, Taranaki, Waikato, Northland or Tasman to miss out.
Having held off North Harbour 29-22 yesterday, after leading 29-3, Auckland complete their programme with a home match against Northland, which they would ordinarily be expected to win with comfort.
But Auckland have been mediocre for much of the competition and Northland, buoyed by a stay of execution in the New Zealand Rugby Union boardroom last week, hit their straps to win a 10-try thriller 45-24 over Manawatu in Whangarei yesterday.
That lifted them to ninth place, with only Auckland standing between them and what only weeks ago looked a most unlikely play-offs berth.
Seventh-placed Taranaki, who snatched a 13-13 draw with Counties-Manukau last Friday thanks to a late converted try, are at home to eighth-placed Waikato on Thursday when neither side will be lacking motivation.
Tasman, in 10th place, two points behind Waikato, definitely warrant a quarter-final outing as shown by their performance against Wellington.
The match in New Plymouth on Thursday should eliminate one of their rivals, but they must still beat Manawatu in Palmerston North on Saturday to make sure of their place.
Elsewhere, Wellington and Canterbury are already assured of home quarter-finals, with Canterbury underlining that they are peaking nicely by turning back Hawkes Bay 31-7 in Christchurch on Saturday night.
That result did little harm to Hawkes Bay, who remain in third place on 29 points, one ahead of Bay of Plenty, and four in front of fifth-placed Southland.
Bay of Plenty beat Southland 24-22 at Mt Maunganui and now turn their thoughts to Hawkes Bay in Napier on Friday, while Southland end the regular season by hosting North Harbour on the same day.
- NZPA
