A depleted North Otago side lifted its game to hold out Buller for a 35-34 bonus-point win at Whitestone stadium on Saturday and move into the top four of Heartland.

Without regular halfback Cameron Keenan, fullback Oscar Pamment, prop Meli Kolinisau and loose forwards Filipo Veamatahau and Manu Taiti, North Otago battled through the first half to trail 20-13, as the powerful Buller back three, Iliesa Ravudra, Mitieli Kaloudigibeci and Setefano Sauqaqa, opened up the North Otago defence.

The bulky Buller pack tired in the second half as North Otago upped the pace of the game and put pressure on with some astute tactical kicking.

North Otago produced some fine individual performances, none more than flanker Maene Mapusaga and lock John Kelly, who backed up the lineout talent of Taua Limuloa.

In the backs, winger Sala Halaleva shifted to centre and celebrated with a hat-trick of tries, second five-eighth Aleki Morris showed his talent and at the back Lemi Masoe showed his skill with the ball in hand.

North Otago coach Barry Stevens rued the lack of possession in the first half but things changed after halftime.

''The boys showed a lot of courage,'' Stevens said.

''We talked at halftime about putting phases together and we felt we had the fitness over Buller, and if we could put the phases together we'd eventually come out on top, even though they came back at us in the last couple of minutes as we fell off a few tackles and put ourselves under pressure.''

The boot of Buller halfback Andrew Stephens gave his side an early lead with penalties in the eighth and 11th minutes.

Six minutes later, from turnover ball, Kaloudigibeci and Stephens combined to put first five-eighth Jesse Elley in for a try, which Stephens converted to take Buller out to a 13-0 lead.

North Otago lost first five-eighth Ben Palmer with a shoulder injury and evergreen utility player Jason Forrest took over the role. He put North Otago on the board with a penalty in the 20th minute.

Moments later, North Otago broke out from deep inside its own territory.

Masoe sliced up the defence, and Morris raced 50m to score an unconverted try.

Buller hit back when second five-eighth Penijamini Nabainivalu breached the defence and lock Tai Ratu crashed over.

Limuloa and Kelly then combined to drive deep into Buller territory for Halaleva to score an unconverted try.

Nine minutes into the second half, Halaleva scored from a tap penalty and Forrest's conversion made it 20-20.

Stephens then kicked a penalty to put Buller back into the lead before North Otago half Inoke Naufahu chipped into space for Halaleva, who scored his third try.

Stephens got Buller back in front with a penalty after 63 minutes, before North Otago winger Sale Pi'I touched down out wide for Forrest to convert and put North Otago into a 32-26 lead.

Stephens and Forrest swapped penalties before, with time up on the clock, Buller winger Sauqaqa burrowed his way over to narrow North Otago's lead to a solitary point.

Stephens' conversion attempt drifted wide.

In other round-six games, competition leader Mid Canterbury beat Poverty Bay 38-27, second-placed South Canterbury defeated King Country 42-14, West Coast downed East Coast 22-10, third-placed Wanganui accounted for Thames Valley 47-27 and Wairarapa-Bush moved into sixth position with a 33-19 win over Horowhenua-Kapiti.

• Terry O'Neill 

 

Heartland Champs
The scores

North Otago                    35

Sala Halaleva 3, Sale Pi'i, Aleki Morris tries; Jason Forrest 2 pen, 2 con

Buller                               34

Jesse Elley, Tui Ratu, Setefano Quaqaqa tries; Andrew Stephens 5 pen, 2 con

Halftime: Buller 20-13