Otago won 28-20 over a misfiring Manawatu team but it could have been so much more for the home team, which left plenty of points out on the field and had an off night in the goal-kicking department.
The win leaves Otago with a 50% win record for the season and third place in the championship.
Otago was not totally accurate in all it did, but came away in the second half, scoring three tries to secure the victory.
Otago co-coach Phil Mooney said the result was a good reward for the team, which had trained and toiled all season.
"We probably had our chances throughout the season and not taken them, but we got the reward tonight and it was a good way to end the season," he said.
"Tactically, we made some subtle changes in the second half. We were too lateral in the first half and we made a decision to keep it in close and be more direct. We started to dominate the breakdown and that managed to stretch them."
Mooney said that looking back over the season, there were times during games when the big plays did not go Otago's way, but last night, those plays went a bit better.
He praised veterans prop Kees Meeuws and first five-eighth Tony Brown. Their input had been superb throughout the season and had been a real bonus for the team.
When asked whether he was keen to be involved next year, he said he was keen to come back but it would have to be under certain circumstances.
He declined to say what those circumstances were.
Meeuws (37) said he had hinted to his team-mates before the game this could be his last game for Otago, but after the match, he said he might not necessarily retire.
Meeuws strained his calf after 15 minutes but continued on into the second half.
His propping partner, Scott Manson, scored the try for Otago that gave it momentum in the second half.
Otago looked to be going nowhere just on the edge of the Manawatu 22m line but slowly ground its way to the line, and then Manson drove over to tie the scores up.
That was followed midway through the second half by No8 Gareth Evans finding a gaping hole in the Manawatu defence 15m out and scoring under the posts.
Buxton Popoali'i then grabbed the bonus point for Otago, getting on the end of a Brown chip kick.
Impressive for Otago were loose forwards Adam Hill and Paul Grant, while centre Ben Atiga ran hard.
Otago had plenty of chances in the first half and made line breaks though a stretched Manawatu defence. But it was not ruthless enough and looked for the miracle ball when it should have taken the better option and hung on to the ball.
Matters were not helped for Otago when, just before the halftime, break flanker Adam Hill was yellow carded after he got involved in a spear tackle.
Hill did not appear to be the guilty party, but the officials still spelled the flanker.
Manawatu scored the first try of the match 11 minutes in. It grabbed an Otago lineout and rolled downfield, recycling the ball efficiently. Flanker Nick Crosswell broke through the Otago defence and the ball was then moved wide, with flanker Doug Tietjens scoring in the tackle of Joe Hill.
Hill had a chance to reply for Otago after 20 minutes but was held up over the line when he should have scored.
However, Otago continued the pressure and finally got a try when replacement forward Paul Grant steamed on to the ball and could not be stopped after Atiga was lowered just short of the tryline.
Otago v Manawatu
The scores
Otago: 28
Paul Grant, Scott Manson, Gareth Evans, Buxton Popoali'i tries; Tony Brown pen, con, Hayden Parker pen.
Manawatu: 20
Doug Tietjens, Waisea Qioata tries; Isaac Thompson 2 pen, 2 con.
Halftime: 13-8 Manawatu.
Crowd: 5407
