Weak, meek and nothing unique.
What else is left to say about Otago’s effort on attack?
Counties-Manukau ran in seven tries to blitz the visitors 45-17 in a crucial NPC fixture in Pukekohe yesterday.
The loss has left Otago’s tether to the playoffs frayed thin.
What will annoy their fans the most is the lack of imagination showed when they had possession.
They kicked a lot of ball away and the attack was very predictable.
Cameron Church opened the scoring for the home team. The loosie got a lovely offload from winger Peniasi Malimali, who had a game to remember.
The speedster bagged a hat-trick in an outstanding performance.
His first came just moments after the Church try.
Otago kicked the ball off and Counties ran it back. They broke down the right-hand side of the field and Malimali swatted aside the last couple of defenders to complete a wonderful team try.
The left winger demonstrated an insatiable appetite for the ball and dived over a ruck to nab a second try midway through the opening 40 minutes.
Otago leaned heavily on midfielder Thomas Umaga-Jensen to bust holes in the defence.
He exploded through a tackle and threatened to score. But he had to settle for the assist when he helped drive over loose forward Will Stodart late in the half.
But Malimali skipped clear down the left and second five Riley Hohepa stayed in support and scored to give his side a 28-10 lead at the break.
Otago needed to score first in the second half and they did. Fullback Finn Hurley got on the outside of his marker following a lengthy build-up.
But any thought of a fightback was squashed when that man Malimali collected a skip pass and bumped off two tacklers to complete his three-try haul in the corner.
Counties rounded off a brilliant win with impressive blindside Adam Brash out-pacing Ajay Faleafaga to net the team’s seventh try.
The loss means Otago is five competition points adrift of the eighth and final playoff spot with three games remaining.
— The Tasman Mako made their first defence of the Ranfurly Shield by beating Wellington 28-15 in Blenheim.
The Lions were previously undefeated and they put in a gutsy effort. But the Mako’s defence was up to the task.
Halfback Finlay Christie and first five Campbell Parata controlled the match and wingers Timoci Tavatavanawai and Kyren Taumoefolau were dangerous and collected a try apiece.
On Saturday, Bay of Plenty beat Taranaki 33-20 in Tauranga, North Harbour thumped Manawatū 58-19 and Waikato brushed aside Hawke’s Bay 50-5.
In the late game yesterday, Auckland beat Northland 24-17.
NPC
The scores
Counties-Manukau 45
Peniasi Malimali 3, Cameron Church, Riley Hohepa, Blake Makiri, Adam Brash tries; AJ Alatimu 5 con.
Otago 17
Will Stodart, Finn Hurley tries; Cameron Millar 2 con, pen.
Halftime: Counties 28-10.
