Now it is nearly time for the inquests to begin.
They will get one final opportunity — against Counties-Manukau at Forsyth Barr Stadium next Sunday — to prevent this being remembered as an utter disaster of a season.
They were simply out-classed today, beaten 47-7 by a Waikato team led by the wily Aaron Cruden, who turned back the clock with a masterful performance against an Otago side seemingly bereft of confidence.
Otago were exposed from the off.
They displayed a frightening inability to get out of their own half, they conceded penalties every time they blinked, and they generally looked a mile off the pace.
It was one of the worst Otago performances of the modern era, up there — or down there — with the 2007 bloodbath in Wellington, and 47 points were the most they had conceded since leaking 54 to Wellington in 2019.
This is a young Otago team, granted. But this was another worrying sign that too many players in blue jerseys are playing below their best, and questions need to be asked why that is happening.
One of the sole exceptions was No 8 Christian Lio-Willie, who threw himself around the field with power and purpose.
Hooker Henry Bell and lock Fabian Holland battled away, and midfield back Jake Te Hiwi had arguably his best performance at this level.
Otago, as they say, were lucky to get nil in the first half.
Cruden started the rout when he charged down Gilbert’s lazy attempt at a cross-kick in the 14th minute and scored his first try.
Otago then showed some real steel to hold off waves of Waikato attack, but the dam eventually burst.
Cruden dummied into space and crossed for his second.
Then came the real dagger.
Waikato fullback Daniel Sinkinson completed a 50-22 — not everyone loves the new rule but it can be remarkably effective — when he unleashed a booming kick that took a kind bounce
and found touch just a couple of metres from the Otago line.
From the ensuing lineout drive, hooker Pita Anae-Ah Sue rumbled over, and Cruden’s third conversion made it 21-0.
Otago very much needed to score next but they just could not get out of their half.
Cruden rubbed salt into the wound three minutes before the break when he put in a huge, and absolutely on point, cross-kick.
Waiting right on the sideline was unwanted All Blacks flanker Samipeni Finau, who pouched the ball and fell over.
Cruden’s magnificent conversion from wide out capped a wonderful half for the veteran playmaker and a dreadful 40 minutes for Otago.
Clearly, Otago needed to score first and quickly in the second spell if any sort of miracle comeback was to happen.
They managed neither.
Eighteen minutes of the second half had elapsed when Waikato, after a period of dominance, scored their fifth try.
Cruden got extremely close in his bid for a hat-trick and his 300th NPC point, before the ball was spun wide for impressive No 8 Simon Parker to score in the corner.
The final quarter offered little but the chance for Otago to restore a little pride.
Pfft. Some hope.
Waikato rattled on two more tries to roll out to 47-0, before a try to the indefatigable Holland 90 seconds before the whistle allowed Otago to avoid the ignominy of being held scoreless.
— Southland led Hawkes Bay 7-0 in Invercargill on Saturday before slumping to a 33-7 loss.
It was a seventh loss in eight games for the Stags, who host Bay of Plenty on Wednesday night.
NPC
The scores
Waikato 47
Aaron Cruden 2, Pita Anae-Ah Sue, Samipeni Finau, Simon Parker, Austin Anderson, Tepaea Cook-Savage tries; Cruden 5 con, Daniel Sinkinson con
Otago 7
Fabian Holland try; Sam Gilbert con
Halftime: Waikato 28-0.
