When it met Manawatu in its first match after the lockdown break, it was comprehensively beaten.
Last night Otago emerged victors — resounding victors.
Otago fought well in the tight, was dominant in the set-piece and, as the game went on, ran rampant in the backline.
It is the surest sign that this team is hitting its best form at the right time of the season.
A 44-16 semifinal win over Manawatu in Palmerston North propelled it into next week's NPC Championship final.
It will play either Taranaki or Southland, who will meet in today's other semifinal.
The backline's lethal attack in the final 25 minutes caught the eye.
That was certainly pleasing given the team's lack of ability to convert its pressure into points this season as well.
But it was up front that this win was built.
Otago's scrum was dominant all night.
It applied pressure to regularly win penalties and prove a nightmare for Manawatu on its own feed.
In the open it was similarly steely up front.
Otago kept the ball tight while playing into a strong wind in the first half.
It used forward runners and kicks in behind to build pressure, while making nearly three times as many tackles as Manawatu.
Captain James Lentjes led the count there — making 17 tackles — while damaging No 8 Christian Lio-Willie was influential both in providing go-forward and making 12 tackles himself.
Despite that it yielded just three points, while Josh Hill crashed over just before halftime to give Otago a 13-3 halftime lead.
At that point the game remained in the balance.
When Stewart Cruden kicked a second penalty to pull Manawatu back to within seven, it looked as that scrap would continue.
But Otago began to find its groove, while Manawatu barely fired a shot until it was too late.
Sam Gilbert ran a nice line off the ruck to hit a pass from Kayne Hammington, hitting a gap and scoring next to the posts to make it 20-6.
Josh Ioane then provided a moment of brilliance 10 minutes later to put Otago in firm control.
The outstanding first five cut through the defence, wrong-footed the cover, then put a grubber in for a flying Vilimoni Koroi to collect up the left wing.
Koroi went over in the left corner and, with Ioane's conversion, Otago led 27-6 with less than 25 minutes to play.
It was an electric moment that had been the only thing missing from the performance.
Indeed it is the type of flair and execution Otago has shown in flashes this year, but nowhere near as often as it would have liked.
However, it sparked more.
Manawatu hit back with a try to Brayden Iose, before right winger Freedom Vahaakolo showed his own brilliance by crossing twice for the second week in a row.
Josiah Maraku scored a late consolation try for Manawatu.
