Otago upset Wellington, Waikato snatch victory
- NZ Sports Wire
- Aug 19
- 3 min read
Otago and Waikato scored their second wins of the National Provincial Championship (NPC) season to move into the top-eight.
Otago held off defending champions Wellington for a 46-41 upset at Porirua Park, while Waikato needed a penalty after the 80 minutes to overcome Counties Manukau at Hamilton's FMG Stadium Waikato on Sunday.
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Wellington rocked into its game with Otago at Jerry Collins Park in Porirua when a kick-through from second-five Julian Savea saw centre Matt Proctor score the first of 12 tries in the game.
Savea's bullocking run three minutes later took play to Otago's line where lock Hugo Plummer went over for the try.
Otago came back in the 19th minute with a clever try to halfback Dylan Pledger, built on wing Jona Nareki's superb in-pass to flanker Lucas Casey, who got the ball to Pledger.
Three minutes later, Pledger broke around a lineout and repaid Casey's earlier pass to see him score. In the 33rd minute, off another lineout, Casey ran his way through the defence to score his second.
Just before halftime, home halfback Esi Komaisavai scored out wide from a ruck set up by hooker James O'Reilly off flanker Sione Halahilo's run.
Lock Will Tucker set up No 8 Christian Lio-Willie for a run at the line. When he was caught short, Tucker was perfectly-positioned for a pass to score.
An intercept by wing Tom Maiava pulled Wellington closer, and after replacement hooker Asafo Aumua's charge around a lineout, lock Akira Ieremia went over in the 51st minute as Wellington reclaimed the lead.
Otago struck straight back when a bullet pass from Joseva Tamani put Nareki over. Proctor scored his second in the 60th minute to level the scores at 38-38.
But, with 14 minutes left, second-five Thomas Umaga-Jensen was fed into a gap and he out-paced the defence to reclaim the lead. A penalty goal before the end by first-five Cam Millar ensured Otago's win.
Counties Manukau were denied their first win of the season when Waikato replacement Tepaea Cook-Savage landed an injury-time penalty goal to secure a 27-26 win at Hamilton. Cook-Savage had missed another attempt 10 minutes earlier.
The visitors were on the verge of an upset at the start of the final quarter when replacement back Jackson Rainsford scored, and first-five Riley Hohepa's conversion gave Counties Manukau a 26-24 lead.
The visitors scored first after eight minutes through wing Etene Nanai-Seturo, but two tries in three minutes to Waikato through halfback Rui Farrant and flanker Mitch Jacobson, and a penalty goal to former All Black Aaron Cruden took Waikato to a 17-7 lead.
Just before halftime, wing Peniasi Malimali scored with the score at the break 17-14 to the home team.
Replacement No 8 Hoskins Sotutu scored 11 minutes into the second half, to which Bailyn Sullivan replied four minutes later for Waikato. Rainsford then scored his try as Counties Manukau reclaimed the lead before Cook-Savage had the final say.
NPC RESULTS
Otago 46 (Dylan Pledger, Lucas Casey 2, Will Tucker, Jona Nareki, Thomas Umaga-Jensen tries; Cam Millar 5 con, 2 pen) Wellington 41 (Matt Proctor 2, Hugo Plummer, Esi Komaisavai, Tom Maiava, Akira Ieremia tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 4 con, pen). HT: 24-19
Waikato 27 (Rui Farrant, Mitch Jacobson, Bailyn Sullivan tries; Aaron Cruden 2 con, pen, Tepaea Cook-Savage con, pen) Counties Manukau 26 (Etene Nanai-Seturo, Peniasi Malimali, Hoskins Sotutu, J Rainsford tries; Riley Hohepa 3 con). HT: 17-14
