Believe it is possible — Otago do.
They posted a reasonably comfortable 41-26 win over winless North Harbour to retain the Log o’ Wood at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The home team did not have it all their own way.
The visitors edged ahead midway through the first half and roared back late with two tries.
Otago’s effort looked to be flagging. But a crowd of 5821 cheered them back to the halfway and that was the little burst of energy they needed.
Cameron Millar nailed two late penalties to seal the win.
Assistant coach Ryan Bambry said it was moments like that when Otago really felt the crowd behind them.
"I think probably sometimes the crowd don’t realise just how much energy they can bring to the group, and long may that continue," he said.
"Hopefully, everyone comes back in a couple of weeks’ time."
Otago made close to a perfect start.
Centre Josh Timu put fullback Sam Gilbert into a hole from a set piece move, and halfback Dylan Pledger loomed up in support and scored between the sticks.
It was a very encouraging start, but North Harbour responded with a nice try in the corner and Mark Tele’a picked off a pass from Pledger and ran 50m to score.
Otago were rocked but rediscovered their composure.
"There was a period there in the first half in particular where we really had to dig deep and find solutions," Bambry said.
"And I think that’s just probably the measure of the team this year, which is a little bit different from previous years. We came out of that little hole we were in and eventually got the job done."
And the crowd erupted when veteran hooker Liam Coltman, playing his 100th game for Otago, drove over from a lineout drive in the final act of the half.
The 10m lines were repainted as 100m lines in appreciation of Coltman’s long service. And he had run on to the field flanked by daughters Tilly, 7 and Ruby, 6. It was too cute.
Otago led 21-14 at the break and they dominated the opening exchanges in the second half but could not find their way to the chalk.
That was until the home team had a dart down the blindside and Jona Nareki got a cracking offload to Lucas Casey.
The openside flanker dotted down for his seventh try of the season.
Then somehow Pledger dived on a chip kick in time before it rolled dead in goal. The smart money was on the ball winning the race. Pledger beat the
odds there.
North Harbour kept battling, though, and Sofai Notoa-Tipo chased down a grubber and scored in the corner and Tom Barham finished off an incredible try.
Otago looked gassed but topped up with some energy from the crowd for one final push.
Ranfurly Shield
The scores
Otago 41
Dylan Pledger 2, Christian Lio-Willie, Liam Coltman, Lucas Casey tries; Cameron Millar 5 con, 2 pen.
North Harbour 26
Ben Brownlee, Mark Tele’a, Sofai Notoa-Tipo, Tom Barham tries; Cam Howell 3 con.
Halftime: Otago 21-14.
