Otago kick off NPC on right foot

By WYNNE GRAY

Otago 15 North Harbour 12

Different year, similar story, same result.

Harbour, a side chockful of reputation could not put away an Otago side decimated with injury and All Black defections.

When tighthead prop Kees Meeuws failed a late fitness test because of the flu, he became the 14th top-line player unavailable for returning coach Laurie Mains.

Meeuws' withdrawal affected the Otago scrum.

But in all other spheres of the game, Otago were better than their opponents at Carisbrook when the NPC opened last night.

Men like the mountainous Paul Miller, new skipper Tom Willis and Simon Maling had huge games in a side which, on paper and even in their home patch, should not have been able to withstand this Harbour invasion.

It was perfect weather, if a shade chilly, but the right conditions for Harbour to express themselves as they sought to get their first division campaign off on the right foot. That was beyond them as they expired against a magnificent Otago defence.

The only change for Harbour was that their pack, with Blair Urlich very prominent, performed while their backs looked as though they had scarcely met each other as their moves failed well behind the advantage line.

Otago scored the only try in the first half after what looked like an innocuous move down the blind.

However centre Ryan Nicholas took out two defenders with a neat swerve and pass and suddenly Otago had a chance.

Miller backed up and drew the last tackler with aplomb to leave fullback Hayden Reid with a canter to the line, leaving Brendan Laney to add the extra points.

It was perhaps a just reward for Otago, who had most of the possession and had hammered away round the fringes with little success.

Harbour made a late change with Willie Walker preferred to Frano Botica at first five-eighths because of his longer kicking game.

Walker had three penalty chances and goaled two to leave Harbour just a point adrift at the interval.

They had made little of the play but been resilient in defence.

They appeared to have a speed advantage on the wings but their backline was too disjointed to benefit.

That problem resurfaced after the break when a Karl Te Nana pass to Glen Osborne went to the ground and George Leaupepe intercepted.

A smart pass found Laney, who sprinted and in turn meandered his way 70m downfield for the try.

On the way he beat an ineffective tackle from Rua Tipoki, who may have been fooled as Laney slowed and faked to pass to his support.

Two late Botica penalties could not close the gap for Harbour.

The visitors will undoubtedly rue this as a game of lost opportunity.

Otago 15 (H Reid, B Laney, tries; Laney, con, pen)

North Harbour 12 (W Walker 2 pen, F Botica 2 pen)

Halftime: 7-6.