Rugby: Otago coach talks tough with team

Otago rugby coach Kevin Gloag says his team's supporters are sick of excuses for their poor performances.

"It's got past words. It's got to the stage where the people of Otago don't want to listen to any more garbage," Gloag said. "They just want to see some action and that's what they will get on Saturday against Southland. That's our commitment to them.

"We let ourselves and the Otago public down last weekend. They are brassed off with us and we don't blame them."

Gloag is demanding a tougher approach from his players.

He didn't mince words as he reflected on last weekend's loss to Taranaki and looked ahead to their last three competition games.

"We lost to a team which should be nowhere near as good as us," he said. "For various reasons we didn't perform and we had a good talk in our debrief."

Gloag said Southland, also hurting after their 8-71 loss to Canterbury last weekend, would rise to the occasion against their oldest rival.

"It's a local derby and they will come up here with a huge amount of determination.

"We've got a lot to fix up and Southland are the immediate target."

Gloag said Otago lacked composure against Taranaki and allowed themselves to be rattled. He agreed that some of the refereeing decisions were baffling but added: "We should be bigger than that."

Halfback Byron Kelleher (strained shoulder joint) and lock Luke Andrews (knee and ankle problems) have been ruled out of Saturday's match. They have been replaced by Chad Shepherd and Hale Tu'uhoko.

Hooker Anton Oliver, who has missed the last three games because of a neck muscle strain, came through training satisfactorily and is in the starting XV.

- NZPA