Rugby: Otago keeps piling on the pressure

OTAGO 42 NORTHLAND 10

DUNEDIN - Otago continued climbing up the NPC first division rugby ladder with an emphatic win over Northland at Carisbrook.

Otago scored six tries to two and were in control for all but the last quarter.

The forwards took almost complete control, smashing through a sometimes weak Northland defence.

Otago led 23-5 at the break and sealed victory with tries by Taine Randell and Tony Brown in the first 10 minutes of the second spell.

They stepped on the gas leading up to halftime when Northland were playing with 14 men after the sinbinning of hooker Joe Ross.

Otago's tight forwards, well led by the front row of Kees Meeuws, Carl Hoeft and rookie hooker Tom Willis, dominated the opposition while Randell and Kelvin Middleton, captain and No 8, relished the platform set for them.

The treacherous conditions made handling and passing difficult but centre Pita Alatini showed his skills and winger Hayden Reid capped a fine performance with the team's last try.

Captain Glenn Taylor was the pick of the Northland pack while No 8 Samiu Vahafolau never stopped trying in difficult circumstances.

Otago coach Kevin Gloag called his side's performance the best of the season.

"There was a lot of go-forward. The pack did well, " he said.

Northland's two tries came from Hayden Taylor and Fero Lasagavibau.

- NZPA