ODT Online rugby writer Jeff Cheshire picks out his key points from Otago's win over Southland on Saturday.
Away win against a good team
They say any win is a good win, but this one was especially good. Southland is a good team this year and to beat them on their home turf was a great achievement after last week's loss. Their loose forward trio is very good, fast around the field, skilful with ball in hand and good tacklers. But the Otago looseforwards were just as good, if not better. Likewise, they have a dangerous nine-ten pairing, with some firepower outside them. But Otago contained them well too. The tight fives were fairly evenly matched heading into the game and Otago probably got the better of them. It is an encouraging win, showing not only that they can win away, but that Otago will compete with the top teams in the Championship. With a Shield Challenge pending, this must give them a lot of confidence.
Solid new midfield combination
There were some question marks over who would fill the 12 and 13 jerseys for Otago this year. The young duo of Tei Walden and Michael Collins were given the first chance and both have taken it well. They are developing into a reliable combination who work well together and are both looking much improved from last year.
Walden is very tidy at second five-eighth. He is not a constant threat, but he rarely makes mistakes and is a heady player in the Phil Burleigh mould. There have been glimpses of more flair in his game though, most recently seen in his broken tackle-offload play which set up Otago's third try in this game. If he could continue to develop this side of his game, he will become a very useful player, but he is certainly reliable enough doing what he is doing and will only get better.
Collins on the other hand has shown more X-Factor than we have seen from him before. He looks a yard faster and stronger too, which has allowed him to break tackles and get through holes in the defensive line. His defence has improved markedly too, now safe tackling and making good reads. Along with Walden, he contained a very dangerous Southland midfield well, while doing little wrong on attack.
Impact of reserves
Just like the Highlanders earlier in the season, a key strength for this Otago team looks to be its depth. While you would not want to lose Hayden Parker, there is cover in every other position that you can be confident in. This has enabled the coaches to freely make substitutes not only to give their starters a rest, but to allow their reserves to come on and really make an impact.
This has been particularly prevalent in the forwards. Lee Allan has been one of Otago's best so far this year, but TJ Ioane was just as good covering as a starter. Likewise, Naulia Dawai brought the presence off the bench Ioane normally brings for the final 25 minutes. Sam Anderson-Heather has been prominent in every game, adding physicality and getting very involved, while all three props that have been used have shown themselves to be workers. Jackson Hemopo had his best game of the year and will continue to put pressure on what has been a very good starting combination.
In the backs the depth is not quite so obvious, but it is still there. Nick Ealey has provided good service at halfback and might be worth a start, although Josh Renton has gotten better with every game. The likes of Marshall Suckling and Peter Breen provide experience and are good back-up players in this competition. Having this sort of depth will be crucial, as their schedule becomes more congested in the coming weeks and player turnover will be higher. Knowing that there are quality options to fill the starter's boots has to be a huge positive.
Defensive intensity
The Otago defence was outstanding, particularly in the second half, where they withstood everything Southland threw at them. After a shaky start, where they were caught out of position more than once, they limited the space the Southland backs had to work with and got up to tackle the forward runners aggressively. When a tackle was missed, they scrambled well. All of this while maintaining good discipline. It was probably the key feature in their win and came down to their effort and determination.
Hayden Parker looking assured
Do not misinterpret this point; Hayden Parker has been good over the past two seasons. But this year he has clearly gone to a new level. His goal-kicking, defensive courage and quick hands are all still evident. On top of this though, he is really looking confident steering the team around the park. At the start of all three games he has controlled the tempo and field position well, kicking well out of the hand and attacking at the right moments. You cannot underestimate how important this quality is and having an experienced head in this position will be hugely beneficial for Otago. As good as Lima Sopoaga has been this year, Parker is not far behind and that he was not the first-choice first five-eighth for the Highlanders was indicative of Sopoaga's good form than anything Parker did.
Finally some Ranfurly Shield luck
Maybe the best moment for Otago rugby this weekend did not even come from their own game. An hour prior to kickoff Hawkes Bay hung on to wrest the Ranfurly Shield off a spirited Counties-Manukau team who would not go away. It was probably the most exciting moment of the weekend and it is funny how a game that could result in a potential challenge can be as exciting as a challenge itself. Otago has been cursed with their luck as far as the Shield has gone over the years, but with two challenges in a short space of time, things are finally going their own way.
Hawkes Bay will be a tough team to beat though. They have a mobile forward pack and some real firepower in their backline that will be tough to contain. It would be ironic though. Last year the Shield began in Waikato, before Otago took it off them. It was then won by Hawkes Bay the next week, before being won by Counties-Manukau in the next challenge. Now Hawkes Bay have won it back of Counties-Manukau and Otago have the next challenge. If Otago are successful in their challenge their first defence is against, yep you guessed it, Waikato. A full-circle if there ever was one.
