North Otago grinds out try-less draw in Te Kuiti

In a low scoring game played in wet conditions overhead but on a good surface, North Otago and King Country fought out, often literally, a 4-4 draw.

Both sides kicked penalties in both halves.

The game burst into fisticuffs early in the first half but North Otago immediately indicated to the opposition that there would be no tugging of the forelock in this game.

Consequently, North Otago lost hooker Sione Vea and tighthead prop Dan Towler while King Country lost loosehead prop Carl Carmichael, all for 10 minutes, a situation which required both teams to run on substitute players for  scrums, which upset the tempo of the game.

Down  to 13 men, North Otago produced a gutsy defensive effort which was not lost on coach, Barry Stevens.

"We’d talked about mental toughness after last weekend’s effort and I think we stood up and showed a lot of that today.

"It’s disappointing not to come away with a win  but we knew the game was going to be a tough one."

North Otago had a broken preparation to the game.

In the final light run on the morning, first five-eighth Josh Casey pulled out with a calf strain, just hours before the game, and during the game centre Shae Tucker came off with a hip injury.

One of the replacements, Kayne Middleton had to leave the field in the second half after colliding with another North Otago player.

As a result, Tyron Davies was rushed into first five-eighth to replace Casey and Jason Forrest, the North Otago fitness trainer finished up taking the field in the second half at fullback.

Such was the physical intensity of the game, all forward reserves took the paddock and, in doing so, Samisoni Tongotongo played his 50th game for North Otago.

Probably the feature of the game was the defence of both sides, according to Stevens.

"Robbie Smith and Lemi Masoe were quite outstanding and Davies shoved into the playing XV also had a fine game.

"You’ve got to look at the conditions on the day. It was very, wet and very slippery and our inside back combination worked very well today.

"Smith showed his experience and was cool and calm under the conditions and Masoe’s experience was put to great use on defence or with the ball in hand. Defensively the forwards stood up. They were hard and Sione Misiloi, Sione Vea and Filipo Veamatahau all stood out."

King Country halfback Zayn Tipping kicked a penalty in the second minute and Davies replied in the 35th minute to make it 2-2 at halftime.

Tipping put his side out to a 4-2 lead four minutes into the second half and the next 36 minutes were just hard slog for both sides before Davies kicked his second penalty to level the score in the 79th minute.

Davies had actually created the position when he intelligently grubber-kicked deep inside King Country territory, where the kick through was knocked on by King Country just outside its 22.

From the scrum King Country was penalised and Davies’ kick never looked like missing.

King Country had a powerful midfield in John Koko and Stephen Turner but the North Otago loose forwards dominated King Country halfback Zayn Tipping.

Up front, centurion Aarin Dunstar was strong, along with No8 Rob Sherson and flanker Sam Mason.

- Terry O'Neill

 

Heartland Championship
The scores

North Otago                4

Tyron Davies 2 pen

King Country               4

Zayn Tipping 2 pen

Half time: 2-2.

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