Efficient attack and smothering defence were the keys when Taranaki beat Otago 25-15 in the ITM Cup match at Carisbrook on Thursday night.
It was Taranaki’s fourth win in five games while Otago remains winless in what is becoming a horror season.
Taranaki did all the hard work in the first half when it scored three tries and denied Otago any reward from long periods on attack.
Otago simply made too many basic mistakes and conceded too many penalties in what was otherwise a closely-contested game.
Taranaki went into the match in fourth place with 14 points (three wins and a loss) while Otago was last with just one point after four consecutive losses.
Otago suffered a major blow before kick-off when captain and flanker Alando Soakai was ruled out with a back injury. Prop Kees Meeuws took over as skipper while Paul Grant replaced Soakai in a reshuffled loose trio.
Glenn Dickson made a scything break for Otago after two minutes which would have yielded a try except for lack of support but Taranaki scored two tries in as many minutes to lead 14-0 after 10 minutes.
Fullback Beauden Barrett scored the first from a set move after wing Andre Taylor made it almost to the line, and captain and lock Craig Clarke notched the second after a defensive botch-up by Otago enabled Taranaki to toe the loose ball through.
Otago dominated territory for the next 20 minutes but its only reward was a penalty by Dickson.
But, as soon as Taranaki made it back into Otago territory, it scored its third try. It moved the ball smoothly through the backs, Barrett took a long cut-out pass and Taylor had a clear run to the corner to make it 19-3.
Taranaki had taken its chances against some soft Otago defence. Otago had dominated territory (65 percent) and possession and spent 10 minutes to six inside the opposition 22, but turnovers and stout Taranaki defence thwarted its attacks.
Otago made a strong start to the second spell and, after Kees Meeuws had made two strong charges, fellow prop Halani Aulika grabbed the ball and crashed over to reduce the deficit to 19-8.
Ripia kicked a penalty to extend Taranaki’s lead to 22-8 but flanker Scott Waldrom left the field soon after with a hip injury and was replaced by Samuela Vunisa.
Otago scored one of the tries of the season after 14 minutes after a move which swept 80 metres. It was initiated by Adam Thomson with a burst down the touchline and continued by Ryan Shortland and Glenn Dickson before lock Hoani Matenga scored under the posts. Dickson converted to make it 22-15.
Otago had had much the better of the third quarter but it could not erase the handling errors which had plagued it throughout.
Taranaki gained a useful buffer 14 minutes from the end when Ripia kicked his second penalty to make it 25-15 when Thomson infringed at a ruck.
Scorers were:
Otago 15
Tries: Aulika, Matenga
Con: Dickson
Pen: Dickson
Taranaki 25
Tries: Barrett, Clarke, Taylor
Con: Ripia 2
Pen: Ripia 2
HT: Taranaki 19-3.