Feeney seizes the moment in Otago victory

Under control . . . Blair Feeney boots Otago on to attack at Carisbrook on Saturday night. Carl Hoeft is in support.
By Brent Edwards

Blair Feeney sat out the Highlanders' entire campaign, wondering when his chance would come. It finally arrived in the bleak and chill of Carisbrook on Saturday night. Feeney's kicking, incisive running and astute reading of play were key factors in Otago's hard-earned 21-12 win in its national championship opener against Northland. Feeney transferred from Counties-Manukau this year, but did not get on the field in the Super 12 as Tony Brown, and later Willie Walker, were preferred in the No 10 jersey. But Brown's chronic hamstring injury has given Feeney his chance in the NPC and, in a sometimes shaky Otago side, he showed he intends to take it. "It was a bit hard [sitting out the Super 12] but that's the way things go," Feeney said later. "I've got an opportunity now and I'm much more a part of things. It's just good to be getting regular rugby. We didn't win many games with Counties in the last two years so it's nice to have that winning feeling."

Northland was highly effective in its execution of the rolling maul, which tested the Otago defence and resolve to the limit, and would have been disappointed not to have capitalised more on its wealth of phase possession. Otago's two tries were both 60m long-range efforts, the first sparked by Feeney after 25min.He sprinted through a gap from a turnover and, when the ball was spun wide from the ensuing ruck, Sam Harding shrugged off a tackle and scored close to the posts. Not renowned as a runner, Feeney looked extremely sharp and he outplayed his opposite, Jared Going. "Coops [co-coach Greg Cooper] has been helping me with certain parts of my game," he said. "I've got a bit more space now. The Otago forwards suck a few more players in than was the case in Counties."

Northland responded to Otago's first try with the first by Allen Tubbs, the flanker muscling over after 18 phases and a break by Jason Shoemark.

Ahead 10-5 at half-time, Otago crucially scored first after the break, Willie Walker hitting the line at pace from an untidy scrum. He made a deep incision and, when the defence regrouped, Seilala Mapusua and Ryan Nicholas put Aisea Tuilevu over for the try.Feeney's second penalty gave Otago a commanding 18-5 lead but when, for the third time, there was indecision by the forwards at the kick-off, Tubbs gathered and burgled a soft try.

At 18-12, Otago was not out of danger but Feeney's third penalty gave it a buffer which it retained to the end. The Otago backs created some promising openings but, at vital times, were undone by faulty alignment or cold hands putting down the last pass. Feeney, Mapusua and Walker all showed the ability to break the line but the synchronisation was not what it could have been.

Taine Randell marshalled his young pack, winning clean line-out ball, running hard and tackling strongly, while lock Warren Smith did well in his debut. There was also encouragement in the return of Filipo Levi and in some of the work of props Carl Hayman and Carl Hoeft.

But the Northland pack, strong and experienced, gave at least as good as it got and Otago will need to lift its intensity against Taranaki next Saturday. Captain and lock Glenn Taylor was an inspirational leader, Tubbs was all over the place, Sam Pinder probed for gaps from halfback and Shoemark was dangerous at centre. But Otago held firm and the victory, with all its imperfections, provided a morale-boosting start to its campaign.

Match statistics: Line-outs, Otago 18-12; rucks and mauls, Northland, 70-42; penalties, Otago, 15-7. Kicking: Feeney, 4-7; Going, 1-4. Half-time: Otago, 10-5. Crowd: 6100. Referee: Kevin Rowe (Canterbury).