Not just mildly unattractive.
But drop-dead, stomach-churning, the sisters who went to Cinderella's ball, ugly.
Otago might have scored a 22-8 win over Counties-Manukau in their Air New Zealand Cup clash at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland last night but it was a game which would have tested the vigour of the keenest rugby fan.
Neither side had any respect for the ball, treating it like the annoying mongrel dog no-one wants.
Countless times Otago got itself into scoring positions but blew the opportunity, choosing the wrong option, pushing the pass or just dropping the ball cold.
Counties-Manukau was not much better, with players passing to others in worse positions.
It looked less threatening as the match wore on.
At least Otago won.
For if there was anything to take out of this game, it was the fact Otago played badly but still picked up four points.
Otago wanted to play territory and this it did well, spending 72% of the game in the Counties-Manukau half.
But what it did when it got there was where it came up short.
Halfway through the second half it butchered four scoring opportunities inside 8min - going the wrong way from a ruck, throwing a poor pass, running into another player, and throwing it forward.
The frustration seemed to get the better of Otago captain Craig Newby who, with 12min to go, launched an ambitious 40m-plus drop goal.
Like most things Otago tried last night, it was off target.
Otago bagged 17 handling errors, the entire total of its butterfingers' efforts in its previous three games, while Counties-Manukau was not far behind with 15 errors.
Otago, for whatever reason, did not seem to want to stretch the ball wide but that was where the gaps were against a committed but shortened defence.
It was not until 3min to go that Otago finally sealed the win.
Replacement winger Ben Smith darted round a couple of players and passed to replacement hooker Peter Mirrielees who drew the last line of defence and put lock Ross Kennedy over for the try.
Newby said after the game it was a frustrating game to play in - watching it was not much fun either - and he said both sides killed the ruck and slowed the ball down.
Newby said Otago could not get anything going, and made it hard for itself.
Counties-Manukau captain Andrew van der Heijden said his side could not get any continuity and its defence struggled.
It was the third straight loss for Counties-Manukau, while Otago bagged its third win from four games, moving itself temporarily into third in the Air New Zealand Cup.
The home side got off to a good start, scoring the first try on 16min after its backline attacked off the back of a line-out and centre Niva Ta'auso barrelled towards the line.
He was stopped just short but openside flanker Fritz Lee burrowed over from the resulting ruck.
Otago hit back within 3min with Chris Noakes putting up a bomb which was recovered by Aaron Bancroft.
He passed to winger Karne Hesketh who finished well in the corner.
Fullback Glen Horton then scored for Otago on 25min when he ghosted through some very thin Counties-Manukau defence from the 22m line.
It was Horton's first try for Otago since 2004, exactly four years to the day last scored a five-pointer in the blue jersey.
Referee Josh Noonan did not help the encounter, being too lax at the ruck, as players went in from the wrong side.
Noonan, with the help of his assistant referee, twice penalised Otago flanker Seko Qaraniqio for offences when the Fijian flanker was clearly not the offending player.
Although few players would get out the video of this game for the grandchildren, Bancroft had some good touches while Horton did little wrong.
Winger Lucky Mulipola also ran hard although he too has to look after the ball better.
The Otago scrum and line-out was solid, as the Counties-Manukau front eight flagged the further the game went on.
Lee tried hard for the losing side, while wing Leila Masaga made one good run and always threatened.
Otago 22 (Karne Hesketh, Glen Horton, Ross Kennedy tries, Chris Noakes 2 conversions, 1 penalty goal) Counties-Manukau 8 (Fritz Lee try, Dean Cummins penalty goal).
Half-time: 12-8
Otago 22
Counties-Manukau 8
