Taranaki's slack pack need to find form

The acid goes on the Taranaki forward pack to deliver a performance worthy of semifinal contenders in tonight's clash with Otago in New Plymouth.

Taranaki's front eight have been outplayed in their previous two matches - a 51-22 loss to Auckland and last week's 73-28 thrashing by competition leaders Wellington.

Their accuracy at set pieces and ability to get aggressively over the advantage line, two features of their unbeaten opening five rounds, have deserted the side, who have now slipped to third on the table.

Reputations were badly dented in last week's record loss to Wellington, but the side still have an excellent chance of making the playoffs.

A win tonight against one of the worst-performing Otago sides in decades will take Taranaki within spitting distance of a semifinal place.

But it is hard to know what effect last week's thrashing has had on the confidence of the side.

A return to Yarrow Stadium, where they have not lost in the NPC this season, may be the kick-start the amber and blacks need.

Replicating North Harbour's tactics of taking on the much-vaunted Otago pack is probably high in Taranaki coach Kieran Crowley's game plan.

Crowley has shown confidence in his pack by refusing to make changes, despite several players looking off the pace.

His confidence has to be repaid with the commitment and performance shown early in the campaign.

Taranaki's backline has been overhauled, with injuries forcing Crowley to move fullback James Hilgendorf to centre.

Hilgendorf teams up in the midfield with Mark Stewart, and Scott Ireland moves to the back.

Crowley will want a sharp defensive improvement from last week in the midfield and their inside channel, that suffered from the wide drift of first five-eighths Brock James.

Taranaki can also not afford to allow their opposition the fast-scoring starts of the past fortnight.

Otago may be out of semifinal contention, but players in the mould of Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman and Simon Maling are too professional to simply lie down and let Taranaki take a desperate step towards a semifinal spot.

- NZPA