Otago notched a 50% win record at the South Island under-19 tournament in Christchurch at the weekend.
The side had two good wins on Saturday, beating West Coast 22-10 and thumping Tasman 46-10.
Rory Van Vugt, Tim Morrison, and Texas Toleafoa picked up two tries each for the day, showcasing their finishing skills.
Unfortunately for Otago, day two was not as successful. The team looked far more weary, and injuries and quick turnarounds between games proved costly.
The first match against an unbeaten Canterbury side was always going to be a tough task, and Otago succumbed 42-12.
Otago would have been looking for a chance to regather after such a tough contest. However, the nature of the tournament did not allow for anything of the kind, and within an hour it faced a strong Southland side.
Despite a big win over Southland in a pre-tournament fixture just weeks ago, Otago fell to a 22-4 defeat.
Van Vugt, Neyo Ufi, Brayden Crombie, and Toleafoa were the standout players across the two games on the second day.
Van Vugt and Toleafoa were rewarded for their outstanding performances with selections in the tournament team, and Van Vugt was further recognised in being named best back of the tournament.
