ITM Cup

Sam Giddens has played three provincial seasons for Hawkes Bay, but he has never been more ready to get stuck in to rugby.

The Otago rugby team has been given a tough assignment in its four crossover matches in next year's ITM Cup competition.

The review looking into what went wrong with the Otago team this year is still continuing and no date has been set for its completion.

Otago coach Phil Mooney wants to continue in the role next season and says the team needs to get its systems more precise.

The future of Otago coach Phil Mooney appears clouded, though officials deny he has already been given his marching orders.

I always thought the worst moment in Otago rugby was in 1979 when it lost to South Canterbury in Timaru to finish bottom of the first division.

Otago coach Phil Mooney says it would be an understatement to call this season extremely disappointing and says the union has to be proactive in recruiting players.

You know times are tough when a professional rugby side has to practise catching and passing at training; when the side's two best players cannot do even a simple draw and pass in one game, butchering a golden try-scoring opportunity.

The All Black side to tour the northern hemisphere, and to stop in Hong Kong on the way to play the Australians, will be named tomorrow night. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at a possible squad and who, if anyone, will receive a new cap.

Waikato took its chances, the visitors butchered theirs, and Otago came up a distant second in Hamilton last night.

All Black lock Tom Donnelly will be back in the blue and gold this week in his only appearance for Otago this season.

It was gutsy, it was brave but, in the end, the bigger, stronger and faster boys came out on top.

Otago captain Alando Soakai says the 2011 season has started already and player recruitment must be the priority for the union.