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North Otago put in a brave effort but could not stop Wanganui retaining its unblemished record in the Heartland Championship as it lost 19-8 at Cooks Gardens on Saturday.
North Otago, badly hit by injuries, had produced a makeshift side for the vital game but produced 80min of gutsy rugby.
All the bench had to be used as injuries were suffered by No 8 Samisoni Tongotongo (knee) and lock Marc Comb (head) in the second half.
The result means North Otago qualifies third for the Meads Cup semifinals and has to travel to Ashburton to play Mid Canterbury. Wanganui hosts West Coast, which beat King Country 24-22 on Saturday, in the other semifinal.
The contest up front on Saturday was a fiery one, with North Otago subjected to physical intimidation in the rucks. The feature of North Otago's game was its fightback in the second half.
Trailing 12-3 at half-time and playing into the strong westerly wind, North Otago produced a sustained final spell, something that pleased assistant coach Shane Carter.
"In that second half we fought back. Roma [Sefo] lost the ball over the line and Tuataina [Samisoni] got a try which was not seen and a couple of times we had guys in space and didn't pass," Carter said.
"I was really happy with the way the boys played into that strong breeze in the second half. It was pretty good for our confidence although losing is not a great thing."
Wanganui dominated the line-outs, mainly through the work of Mike Fitzgerald, but the scrums were even. In the loose North Otago had Wanganui just hanging on over the final quarter.
North Otago's loose trio of Ross Hay, Matt Clutterbuck and Josh Collier, who came on with the departure of Tongotongo, worked well, while inside backs Hamish McKenzie and Pale Tuilagi combined well with midfield general Mike Mavor.
Wanganui was well led by halfback Denning Tyrell, while Faapulou Soolefai was a danger man at second five-eighth.
The Wanganui backs engineered the opening try, scored by prolific winger Cameron Crowley, but the key try was scored just before the break when first five-eighth Mark Davis chipped ahead and lock Fitzgerald was on hand to drive over under the bar.
Wanganui took a commanding lead ahead of the final quarter when Soolefai chipped through a perfect kick for winger Johnny Mow to score.
It was all North Otago in the last quarter as the pack dominated possession against a tiring Wanganui pack.
Replacement hooker Tuataina Samisoni was denied a try when he was held by the jersey before getting possession, but the referee was unsighted as he crossed the line.
Finally, North Otago was rewarded when it moved the ball from side to side with superb support play and player-coach Mike Mullins dived over in the corner.
Wanganui coach Guy Lennox praised North Otago for its effort.
"We had to work pretty hard for the win," Lennox said.
"North Otago are a good physical side. They bashed us up twice last year and today we were lucky to get away with that win. The best thing that came out of the game for us was that we had a strong workout and we came through it."
Lennox said the game had been a "good wake-up call" for his side.
In Taupo, West Coast trailed King Country 22-0 at half-time on Saturday but scored 24 unanswered points to earn a place in the semifinals.
Mid Canterbury and Buller were tied 10-10 at half-time but a rejuvenated Mid Canterbury side raced away in the second half for a 32-17 win.
In the Lochore Cup semifinals, Poverty Bay will play South Canterbury in Gisborne, a repeat of the 2007 final, while Horowhenua-Kapiti will host Wairarapa-Bush.
- Terry O'Neil.