Imperfect, unpredictable: just how we like it

Burly Southland loose forward Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa charges forward during a successful Ranfurly Shield challenge against Waikato in Hamilton on Sunday. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

We are midway through the NPC round-robin and competition for those final few playoff spots shapes as intense, rugby reporter Adrian Seconi writes.

HALFTIME WRAP

This tournament is wild.

Think Carlos Spencer. Will he kick the ball backwards over his head? Will he throw a dummy, which floats in the air before he snatches it back and runs through a gap? Will all that creative genius unravel like a packet of Toffee Pops?

That unpredictably has made for compelling viewing.

And every year, it feels like we are surprised anew by how entertaining rugby can be when the defence is not as tight and the attack not as clinical.

We can all watch when the NPC returns to free-to-air next year.

But if you have not caught the action this season, here is what you have missed so far.

• Canterbury have strung together five consecutive wins and lead the competition standings.

• Auckland has a population of 1.8 million and no-one in that city can hit a ruck. North Harbour, Auckland and Counties-Manukau have played a combined 15 games for a total of zero wins. That winless streak will end this week as Counties-Manukau is hosting North Harbour.

• Otago have shed the perennial under-achiever tag to charge into the top four. But can they stay there?

• Southland shocked Waikato, winning the Ranfurly Shield with a healthy 25-10 victory on Sunday. That ended a 14-year Ranfurly Shield drought. They also posted their third win in a row — a feat they had not achieved since 2013.

• Wellington won the title last year but are outside the playoff spots in ninth place. They desperately need to beat Hawke’s Bay in Napier on Saturday to stay in touch.

FIVE OF THE BEST

Dylan Pledger

(Otago)

All Blacks great Jeff Wilson would pick him in the national team now. A tad early perhaps. But this young man is an Aaron Smith clone. The devastating pace at which he clears the ruck has transformed Otago’s attack. But the halfback also sees space so clearly and has the speed and confidence to exploit it.

Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa (Southland)

The one that got away. The rampaging loose forward is the leading tackler in the competition and was influential in Southland’s successful Ranfurly Shield challenge. He should be in Otago colours, though. He played for Otago Boys’ and had a very strong season for Kaikorai before he was snagged by the Stags on a long-term deal.

Josh Jacomb

(Taranaki)

Have the Highlanders phoned him for a chat yet? The Chiefs and Taranaki first five is the leading scorer in the competition and his tactical kicking has put the Bulls right where they need to be. He also bagged three tries in the 50-8 demolition of Auckland in round three.

Veveni Lasaqa

(Bay of Plenty)

The Highlanders loosie has made a cracking start to the campaign. He breaks tackles. He makes tackles. He never stops working.

Leicester Fainga’anuku (Tasman)

The centre-cum-winger has returned from a stint overseas and is straight back in the All Blacks. And no wonder. No-one can tackle him.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Well, sooner or later, Wellington has to start winning.

A team from Auckland is going to beat a team not based in Auckland.

The Stags could make the top eight and Otago might even miss a tackle.

They have made a competition-high 940 tackles — 101 more than Canterbury, who are next on the list.

Otago certainly play a lot of rugby without the ball.

That tenacious defence carried them to a win against the much-improved Southland Stags in the opening game of the season.

The arrival of Pledger as a bona fide starter has lifted the Otago attack.

Openside Lucas Casey’s explosive speed has not gone unnoticed either.

The tight five has been solid. For the most part, the scrum and the lineout have been operating smoothly.

Hooker Henry Bell has been an unsung hero. He has made 80 tackles — the third most in the competition.

Winger Jona Nareki is down on speed but still dangerous when he gets into space.

And Christian Lio-Willie has been a warrior at the back of the scrum.

Otago look good. But they also have some tough games ahead.

You might bank on them beating Northland at home on Friday night. However, the visitors are fresh from a 43-24 win against Auckland in round four and they edged Hawke’s Bay 27-22 last weekend.

Otago host Taranaki in round 7 and are away to Canterbury in round 8, which could be a Ranfurly Shield challenge if Canterbury beat the Stags on Saturday and then defend it against Tasman.

They both shape as challenging fixtures.

But pencil Otago in for a couple of wins to complete the round-robin. They host North Harbour in round 9 and play Auckland at Auckland Grammar School in round 10.

That might get them to six wins and into the playoffs, where we reckon they will be joined by Canterbury, Taranaki, Tasman and Bay of Plenty.

Hawke’s Bay, Waikato, Wellington and Southland could all be stuck on five wins apiece. One of them would miss the playoffs in that scenario.