Sublime opening half paves way for win

Wellington fullback Peter Umaga-Jensen is unable to stop Otago fullback Michael  Collins from...
Wellington fullback Peter Umaga-Jensen is unable to stop Otago fullback Michael Collins from scoring. Photo: Peter McIntosh.
Perfection is rare in sport.

But for 40 minutes last night Otago nearly found it.

A nigh-on sublime opening first half from the home team led to a 44-21 victory over Wellington at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

In that first half Otago was simply magic.

The team hoed into rucks, tackled like demons and ran hard when it had the ball.

All that endeavour translated to a 28-0 lead at the break.

Wellington came back in the second half with three tries but there was always daylight between the sides and Otago ran out a comfortable winner.

In that opening 40 minutes, Otago found plenty of space out wide and was quick to seize on any turnover.

The team threw itself into every breakdown and Wellington had no answer.

The visting side was not just all at sea with the new breakdown laws.

It was stuck deep down in the Marianas Trench and seemed confused on how to approach the ball on the ground.

Time and again, Otago would go hammer and tongs into the breakdown and cause Wellington team no end of trouble.

The home team made the most of the extra ball and ran hard and straight out the back, as first five-eighth Fletcher Smith called the tune.

Smith has always been a player of considerable promise and he showed plenty of nice touches with his boot.

His passing was also first rate, finding the man in space, and he had a hand in much of Otago’s attacking play.

Also impressive for Otago were second five-eighth Tei Walden and his brother, Josh, at halfback while loose forwards Paul Grant and James Lentjes were into everything.

Prop Aki Seiuli also had an outstanding game.

With the win Otago retained the Mike Gibson Memorial Trophy and made a statement early in the Mitre 10 Cup.

Otago just sprinted out of the starting blocks and never looked back in the opening period.

It was all over Wellington and had all the territory and possession as Wellington was stuck under its own posts for long stages.

Otago gained the reward with three converted tries in the first 25 minutes and it could have been more as Smith missed a couple of handy penalties early on.

Returning Super rugby players Matt Faddes and Tom Franklin got the first two tries for Otago.

After eight minutes, Otago broke from a Wellington high kick and a nice pass from Smith put Tei Walden in space.

He passed in to Faddes who was too quick for the covering defence.

Ten minutes later, and Franklin was in for the second try.

The ball went right to the back of the lineout, bounced up to prop Hisa Sasagi, who drove for the line.

Held up,  the ball came back and Franklin ran a nice line to take the ball and score.

The third try came for Otago just after the 20-minute mark when it won a lineout 5m out and drove over with hooker Sam Anderson-Heather scoring.

It was Champagne stuff and Wellington was getting increasingly frustrated with its inability to get anything going on attack.

Then Wellington winger Wes Goosen gave Otago an absolute gift.

It could have not been more easily advertised if he stood on halfway with a sign saying "grab a try here".

He threw a long 20m pass across field which was easily intercepted by home town winger Jack Wilson who ran 50m untouched to score under the posts.

Replacement forwards Dillon Hunt and Josh Dickson picked up concussions and had to leave the field while loose forward Naulia Dawai was forced off with a bruised leg.

 

Otago v Wellington
The scores

Otago 44

Matt Faddes, Tom Franklin, Sam Anderson-Heather, Jack Wilson, Michael Collins tries; Fletcher Smith 5 con, 2 pen; Scott Eade pen

Wellington 21

Wes Goosen, Shaun Treeby, Matt Proctor tries, Jackson Garden-Bachop 3 con.

Halftime: 28-0
Crowd: 3000

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