Plenty of energy, lots of effort but not a lot of accuracy or combination.
The Sassenachs - a very light shadow of an Otago team - beat the Spartans - a Southland side which was also far from full strength - 29-24 after leading 19-12 at the break.
The home team got off to a cracking start when it was up by two converted tries after just seven minutes but then it slowed down as the Spartans got some ball and the errors started coming.
The mistake count continued to climb and, in the second half, the lack of time together by both sides showed.
It was to be expected as, after all, it was the first game of the season for the sides which contained players who have been focused on club rugby for the past four months..
Players tended to look for the gap or tried to push the pass just that once too often and the whole game became a tad messy. Numerous substitutions did not help the spectacle.
There were some nice individuals moves and elusiveness but much effort mostly went unrewarded.
Otago coach Tony Brown, who prepared the Sassenachs side, said it was always good to get a hit-out and play at an increased pace.
''A lot of the guys have not played a lot of footy lately so it was a good job for them to get out there and experience some intensity,'' Brown said.
''I thought in the first half there we played some good footy. It was pretty fast and we attacked well. But the rest of it all became a bit individual and got messy.
''We did not get much out of it in terms of game plan.''
Not many of the players on display are likely to be first choice when Otago hits the ITM Cup in just over three weeks but one who looked at home was first five-eighth Peter Breen.
He hit the line well, and helped set up the first two tries.
The Alhambra-Union man drew the defence across and put centre Aleki Morris into some space after just four minutes.
Three minutes later, Breen ghosted through the gap and drew the last defender before Cam Rutherford ran away to score.
In the end, that early 14-point lead was too much for the Spartans side which never went ahead.
It locked the score up at 19-19 straight after halftime when big flanker Tu Dawai changed down a clearing kick and won the race for the ball.
But the home team came back and Morris had his second try after some nice work by winger Aki Yamada and Matt Faddes.
The Spartans scored at the end of the game after a nice break by Breen's opposite, Scott Eade.
The only injury concern for Brown was winger Marshall Suckling, who left the field in the first half with a knee injury.
He landed awkwardly while running the ball up in a crowd of players.
Brown said Suckling had appeared to have tweaked his knee and he would have it assessed later.
Brown and his assistant coach, Phil Young, will spend the next couple of days mulling selections before announcing the Otago squad for the ITM Cup on Monday.
The team has two more warm-up games, against Tasman in Nelson on August 4 and then Southland in Gore on August 9.
The first game for Otago in the ITM Cup is against Bay of Plenty at Forsyth Barr Stadium on August 18.
Sassenachs v Spartans: The scores
Sassenachs ... 29
Aleki Morris 2, Cam Rutherford, Aki Yamada tries, Peter Breen 3 con, pen
Spartans ... 24
Will Murray 2, Tua Tuapati, Tu Dawai tries, Scott Eade 2 con
Halftime: 19-12 Sassenachs
Crowd: 400
Four to shine
Peter Breen - has showed rapid improvement in the past couple of years. Not afraid to attack the line and has the ability to put players into gaps.
Josh Renton - young halfback got around the paddock and was nearly always at the back of the ruck when the ball came out. Possesses a fine pass.
Josh Clark - big enough to knock some people over, the Pirates flanker is abrasive and has some real wheels.
Scott Manson - will be glad to have got through the game after a long injury spell. The prop made some good tackles and roamed wide. Black mark for getting a yellow card in the 80th minute.
