But it eventually eased away to win 55-15.
First five-eighth Maia Joseph helped set up the comfortable win yesterday with some quality passing. She also knocked over five conversions.
Co-captain Julia Gorinski was another standout. The veteran lock, who picked up a knee injury late in the game, was making her 50th appearance for the Spirit.
She made some strong carries, but was one of the few Spirit players not to get on the score sheet.
Otago’s nine tries were scored by eight different players.
Winger Brigid Corson grabbed a brace when she nabbed an intercept late in the game.
The match was rescheduled to the later start time of 1.35pm to accommodate the Spirit players’ late arrival in New Plymouth.
Their flight out of Dunedin on Saturday morning was cancelled, so they had to take a bus to Christchurch, fly to Wellington and then travel by bus to New Plymouth.
Most of the team arrived about midnight.
Once the Spirit women wiped the sleep out of their eyes, the game went well.
"It was a bit of a slow start and the travel made it a bit of a challenge," coach Scott Manson said.
"But in the end we scored 55 points after a pretty disrupted trip — we’ve got to be happy with that."
Otago is unbeaten after three games and leads the standings in the Championship.
Taranaki first five Danielle Muggeridge started the game brilliantly. She gathered a clearance and made a telling run up field to get early field position.
Taranaki moved the ball left from a lineout. Second five Badinlee Munro-Smith made a deft offload in the tackle which helped create space for winger Paige Neilson, who scored in the corner a couple of minutes into the game.
Otago responded through No8 Kristi Kerr, who crashed over after the visitors stretched the Taranaki defence.
But Muggeridge made another scything run. The home team shovelled it to the left quickly and loose forward Brooke Neilson took the inside pass to score.
Otago took over after that. Fullback Mia Cochrane finished off a lovely team try, Corson went over in the left corner and Tegan Hollows took a quick tap and scored.
The Spirit did not start the game with its top line-up. But once it rolled on some of its better players in the second spell, its grip on the game only strengthened.
In the other Championship games, Hawke’s Bay beat Northland 32-17 and Tasman beat North Harbour 42-15.
In the Premiership, Canterbury edged Counties-Manukau 36-21 on Friday, and on Saturday, Auckland beat Manawatu 32-5 and Waikato prevailed 17-10 against Bay of Plenty.
Farah Palmer Cup
The scores
Otago 55
Brigid Corson 2, Kristi Kerr, Mia Cochrane, Tegan Hollows, Paige Church, Gemma Millar, Keely Hill, Kiana Wereta tries; Maia Joseph 5 con
Taranaki 15
Paige Neilson, Brooke Neilson, Jorja Simpson tries
Halftime: Otago 24-10
