Kelly shines brightest of Spirit's stars

Otago Spirit replacement winger Meg Breen scores against North Harbour yesterday at Forsyth Barr...
Otago Spirit replacement winger Meg Breen scores against North Harbour yesterday at Forsyth Barr Stadium. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Otago was a runaway winner over North Harbour at Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday but tougher tests await.

The Otago Spirit won 92-0 and as the score suggests, the side won convincingly.

The Spirit was way too quick, classy and clinical for a North Harbour side which lacked accuracy and the ability to hold on to the ball.

The home side led 45-0 at the break, after scoring seven tries in the first half, and ran riot as the game went on.

It spun the ball well and found some holes in the visiting team's defence.

There was some strong, straight running from the backs and the side kept to its structure for the entire 80 minutes as the game loosened up.

The side did not engage in contact often, spreading the ball constantly, and that resulted in plenty of five-pointers.

Otago Spirit coach Scott Manson was pleased with the performance, especially the way the side kept to its structure.

He said the Spirit did not get drawn into a physical battle and moved the ball well which found space.

The side kept the ball close to the forwards for only one or two phases before looking to get it wide.

Playing on the hard track under the roof ideally suited the Spirit's game.

Best for Otago was inside back Rosie Kelly. She ran some great lines and popped passes to her outsides at just the right time. She picked up a couple of tries and with 11 conversions, some from tough positions, a total of 32 points came her way.

Outside her, Black Fern Kilisitina Moata'ane ran hard and always made the advantage line when she had the ball. She picked up four tries and was a real hard hitter on defence.

Centre Amy Du Plessis continues to impress and was a handful on both defence and attack.

Up front, skipper Tegan Hollows worked hard and scored two tries. Converted No 8 Greer Muir was all over the park and helped the continuity of the side immensely. Her fellow loose forwards Bree Thomas and Morgan Henderson were never far from the ball.

The Harbour side was out-gunned, though it had a good scrum and showed some enterprise on its rare time on attack.

The Spirit heads to Napier next week to play the other unbeaten side in the Farah Palmer Cup championship, the Hawke's Bay Tui.

The Tui beat Tasman 55-5 on Friday night and will be a stern test next week for the Spirit.

The two sides will finish top of the table and will get a bye the following week as the other four championship teams play off to decide semifinalists.

There are no crossover games between championship and premiership teams in the Farah Palmer Cup.

The scores

Otago 92 Kilisitina Moata’ane 4, Tegan Hollows 2, Rosie Kelly 2, Sheree Hume, Trisha Hopcroft, Amy Du Plessis, Teilah Ferguson, Meg Breen, Bree Thomas tries; Kelly 11 con

North Harbour 0

Halftime: 45-0

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