Steve Hepburn

He admits his new job will be a challenge, but Otago Rugby Football Union's new marketing manager Doug McSweeney says he wants to focus on the game itself.

Eben Joubert said he made a big decision - but not a hard one - in opting to play rugby in Dunedin.

A penalty goal in the dying minutes by centre Matt Whaanga was enough to give the Otago under-48kg team victory in its grade at the South Island primary schools tournament in Dunedin yesterday.

Someone out there has a bike which is no use to them but is like gold to world champion Dunedin cyclist Alison Shanks.

Otago leads one grade and has an outside chance in another going into the final day of the South Island Primary Schools tournament in Dunedin today.

New Otago United coach Malcolm Fleming believes he should have been given the job months ago, but any suggestion Terry Phelan was sacked has been rejected by the club.

Forget about competition points and forget about playing for future contracts.

Victoria Beck has just been on a homestay visit around Europe, with a couple of gruelling duathlons thrown in for good measure.

Charlie Hore has come off the farm in Patearoa to lend a hand to an ailing Otago backline.

The Air New Zealand Cup may be more of a staying race than a sprint, but Otago needs to be first past the post against Hawkes Bay in Napier today.

Otago is 12th out of 14 teams but coach Steve Martin says he is not feeling any extra pressure, nor is the side lacking passion.

Otago lock Tom Donnelly admits to being in a bit of a daze when he ran out to make his All Black debut in Wellington on Saturday night.

Jason Macdonald brought up his 50th cap for Otago last week but it came a distant second as far as highlights went over the past seven days.