Rugby: Soakai feels the frustration

Otago skipper Alando Soakai says there is frustration over his first season in charge and admits the captaincy has affected his own game.

Soakai will lead the side out in its last game of the season against Counties-Manukau at Carisbrook today, in a match where both teams have only pride left to play for.

Otago sits in 10th, while the visitor is last.

When asked how to describe the season, the affable Soakai takes a while to answer.

"It would be fair to say that there has been a lot of frustration around. There are a lot of things to it. We have not put away those close games and turned them into wins," he said.

"They all add up. Especially when we started off pretty slow and loose in the first half. Then we'd get back into it, but then it would be half-time and something would happen early in the second half and we'd have to start again.

"It is definitely a mental thing. We are a professional outfit and we put in a lot of work off the field."

Soakai said the players had tried hard all season, and could not be faulted for effort.

However, some players had come up to the mark, while others had fallen off the pace.

He said he had enjoyed the captaincy but was hard on himself and felt it had impacted on his own performance.

"I've learnt a lot from it, learnt in terms of what to say. But I'm the sort of person who wants to get things done and have high standards.

"I think it has affected my own performance. I haven't played too bad, but it is not quite the Alando Soakai which has been before. I'm pretty hard on myself and pretty honest and straight up . . . maybe I have tried to take too many things on and should have spent more time concentrating on my own game."

Soakai said he welcomed getting back to the No 7 jersey after having to share the openside flanker role with Eben Joubert in the past couple of weeks, while he has also had to jump in the lineout.

He could not fault the coaching duo Steve Martin and Bruce Carvell.

"I can only speak for myself, but Steve and Bruce have worked hard the whole season."

Soakai said with having been on the go since mid November last year with the Highlanders, Junior All Blacks, and then Otago, his body was probably due a break.

He had nothing planned after today's game except for a good rest.

He said the team wanted to finish the season well, as it was a good memory to hold over summer, and also repay its loyal band of supporters.

Otago will need to be on its toes today against a Counties-Manukau side which may be bottom of the table but still has the capability to cause an upset.

It has run a few teams close and in first five-eighth Tasesa Lavea has a player with the ability to put players into gaps.

Otago has a re-arranged backline and will need to be solid in defence, clinical in attack and get away to a good start.

Fine weather should be a big advantage.

It could be the last game in charge for Martin, although he was not commenting on his future this week.

He had a one year contract to coach Otago this season, extending his previous three-year deal.

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Otago v Counties-Man
Carisbrook, today, 5.30pm
TAB odds: Otago $1.07, Counties-Manukau $7.25
Referee: Kane McBride (Canterbury)
Otago: Charlie Hore, Karne Hesketh, Brett Mather, Aaron Bancroft, Ryan Shortland, Glenn Dickson, Sean Romans, Paul Grant, Alando Soakai (captain), Eben Joubert, Seko Kalou, Hayden Triggs, Kees Meeuws, Peter Mirrielees, Ben Nolan.

Reserves: Jason Macdonald, Sam Hibbard, Charlie O'Connell, Steven Setephano, James Kenny, Michael Witt, Andrew Parata.

Counties-Manukau: Tim Nanai-Williams, Ahsee Tuala, Siale Piutau, Dean Cummins, Sherwin Stowers, Tasesa Lavea (captain), Samisoni Fisilau, Waka Setitaia, DJ Forbes, Fritz Lee, Rees Logan, Alepini Olosoni, Tuaefe Palelei, Ilaisa Maasi, Simon Lemalu.

Reserves: Matt Holloway, Kojak Faioso, Jamie Chipman, Ryoto Asano, Notise Tauafao, Josh Hall, David Raikuna.

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