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Otago coach Ben Herring was enjoying his coffee in the first 40 minutes — but things did not quite go as sedately in the second half.
Herring had nothing but high praise for his side after its gritty and thrilling 23-19 win over Waikato to lift the Ranfurly Shield in Hamilton on Saturday. It led 20-12 at halftime.
Otago started the game well, scoring three tries inside the opening 20 minutes, and it looked as though it was going to be a stroll for the visiting team.
But Waikato scored two tries in the final 15 minutes of the first half and made the game a contest throughout.
Otago, though, dug deep to win the match at the end, backing its defence in the final few minutes and holding off some Waikato forward drives near the line.
Herring said the side stuck to its guns.
"Our start was great. The boys were sharp and the way we ran the ball, was just a continuation of what we have been doing all year, with some of the stuff we were doing," Herring said.
"They hit back and we just showed some really good ticker. I’m really proud of the guys, and those from Otago would be really proud of their effort, too. Met their strength with our strength and that is really pleasing. Some of the guys put their hand up there and you couldn’t ask any more of them.
"We showed some real smarts at the end there to show we were thinking about things."
Herring said the experience would help the players into the future.
"We were very composed at the end. The guys who needed to have that hard edge were there and the guys that needed to keep their brains on were there."
He said a good team like Waikato was always going to come back in the second half and make some adjustments.
"They came back firing and we hung on, hung on and we hung on enough ... there were ebbs and flows throughout the game. The guys who came on played really well."
Herring said the shield had been talked about by the team at the start of the week, but then a lid was put on such chat, as it was about playing the game.
Getting the win was also vital for a home semifinal.
Coaching Otago to a Ranfurly Shield win in his first year as coach had yet to sink in for Herring, but he was simply proud of his side and the way it had played, and the application the side showed.
"At halftime I said to them I am bloody enjoying [my] coffee up in the box so keep going, I want to drink some more. That is pretty much what I said — ‘keep playing like this, I’m enjoying it’.
"Our boys are good at playing really attacking rugby and not going into their shell."
He was confident the side would be fully focused for the semifinal this week.
"I guess we will try and ride this performance and some of this invisible energy will flow into next week ... the guys are good professionals and know what to do."
There was a couple of controversial moments in the second half; firstly, Otago second five-eighth Sio Tomkinson was judged to have made a fair tackle on Waikato winger Tyler Campbell, despite many believing it was a high challenge.
Herring thought it was a good call from referee Brendon Pickerell.
"I think the ref got it spot on. His initial call was exactly what he finished with. The fourth official kept making him watch it and watch it. I just liked the way he stuck with it."
Right near the end, Waikato prop Jono Armstrong was penalised for stomping on an Otago player, and a penalty that Waikato had was reversed and Otago held on to the ball until the final whistle.
Best for Otago were backs Matt Faddes, Michael Collins and Josh Ioane, while up front Sione Misiloi, Josh Dickson and Jonah Aoina never took a backward step.
Otago made a dream start and had three tries in the bank before the 20 minute mark.
In the end a penalty from in front from Josh Ioane with 20 minutes to go gave the side a four-point buffer; enough to win the game.
Oago winger Jona Nareki suffered a split scrotum in the game and was forced off early in the second half.
He had helped set up Otago’s first try with a classy chip and chase in the first half. But a blow early in the second half forced him from the field.
He visited medical experts in Hamilton yesterday although it is unclear whether he will be able to play in Saturday’s semifinal against Hawke’s Bay.
Ranfurly Shield
The scores
Otago 23
Mitchell Scott, Josh Dickson, Joketani Koroi tries; Josh Ioane 2 pen, con
Waikato 19
Josh Iosefa-Scott, Tyler Campbell, Bailyn Sullivan tries; Fletcher Smith 2 con
Halftime: 20-12
Mitre 10 Cup
The playoffs
• Premiership: Auckland v Wellington; Tasman v Canterbury
• Championship: Waikato v Northland; Otago v Hawke’s