Otago scored its first victory of the ITM Cup season, winning 17-16 in a real arm wrestle at Carisbrook yesterday, played in a howling gale.
The home side slogged it out in the second half facing into the wind, not letting Hawkes Bay have any easy balls, and showing some ticker when it mattered.
The last five minutes Otago just simply refused to give up the ball.
It created 12 phases in a row, clocking up ruck after ruck, and then gained a penalty.
It kicked it out, won the lineout just and, when halfback Johnny Legg kicked it out after the hooter, the arms were raised by both the team and crowd.
The home side grabbed the ball from the kick-off after the break and then just banged away, being held up just short of the line.
It then gained a penalty when Hawkes Bay prop Clint Newland lay all over the ball. Otago opted for a 5m scrum instead of kicking the three points.
From the scrum it moved the ball to the middle of the field and, after a couple of barges at the line, veteran prop Kees Meeuws went over.
Glenn Dickson knocked over the conversion and was up 17-3.
It was a game of two halves but that was the only way it was going to be in a wind at which even a brave sailor would have baulked.
She was fair howling at Carisbrook yesterday and the wind totally dominated the whole match.
Otago had it in the first half and it controlledterritory and possession in that 40 minutes but only went into the break seven points ahead.
It was once again guilty of some bad errors at crucial times although the wind made it very difficult to hang on to the ball.
In the second half, Hawkes Bay eventually got its hands on the ball and, through weight of possession, banged over a couple of penalties.
This was then followed - with just under a quarter of the match left - by lively hooker Hika Elliot crossing from 20m out as Otago ran out of defenders near a ruck.
That left it at 17-16 and anyone's game but Hawkes Bay was guilty of getting ahead of itself and failing to value possession.
Otago's defence did not break near the end and the visitors got frustrated.
Best for Otago was the front row, with big prop Halani Aulika getting through plenty of work while hooker Liam Coltman played through the pain barrier.
Lock Hoani Matenga threw himself round and No 8 Charlie O'Connell had an impressive starting debut in the blue and gold jersey.
Josh Tatupu tackled well in the backs but the heroes were in the front eight.
Elliot was good for Hawkes Bay but it is plainly not going to be the Magpies' year.
Otago took a while to get into gear in the first half but it scored a nice try halfway through the first half.
It was held up on the line after a couple of good phases. From the resulting 5m scrum winger Ryan Shortland came in on the angle and when he was stopped just short, captain Alando Soakai was on hand to score the try.
Otago had the wind behind it but it was guilty in the first quarter of the match of making too many mistakes, and turning the ball over.
It went further ahead when Dickson knocked over a penalty with eight minutes left.
The visiting side then gained the ball from the kick-off and right winger Gillies Kaka appeared to cross in the corner but it was from a forward pass.
ITM Cup - The scores
• Otago 17
Alando Soakai, Kees Meeuws tries, Glenn Dickson 2 con, pen
• Hawkes Bay 16
Hika Elliot try, Daniel Kirkpatrick 2 pen, con, Mark Jackman pen
• Halftime: 10-3 Otago.
• Crowd: 3000
