After a promising start, the Tasman Mako fell away against Otago tonight and lost the seventh round NPC match 57-33.
The match produced 13 tries, several of them from long range.
The visitors dominated the opening stages, with returning loose forward Shannon Frizell prominent, and were rewarded with wing Kyren Taumoefolau’s 12th try of the season.
It was short lived as Otago’s replacement first five Pat Pelligrini scored from short range too.
But the Mako went ahead again when centre Cooper Roberts offloaded, in a heavy tackle, to put fullback Maloni Kunawave away.
But it was shaping as a tit for tat sort of match and after a lineout drive, dummy runners caught out the Mako defence as Otago midfield back Josh Whaanga again levelled the scores.
David Havili launched a brilliant attacking move from inside his own half, linked with Maloni who offloaded to Macca Springer and his sleight of hand produced a magic finish in the corner.
He switched the ball to his inside hand and just got it down in corner.
However a lineout drive right on halftime produced a fourth try for the hosts with outstanding flanker Lucas Casey awarded his ninth five-pointer of the season.
Otago extended its lead to 16 points early in the second spell after the ball bounced off hooker Eli Oudenryn’s head in the lead up to Jonah Nareki’s try.
The Mako came storming back when Maloni beat five defenders to secure a four try bonus point.
But Lucas, who many pundits thought should have been an All Black bolter for the South African tour, sparked a blindside move which exposed some ordinary defending and let wing Riley Lucas score.
Otago then extended the buffer with halfback Kieran McClea crossing on the other flank for the seventh try, 47-26.
Lock Antonio Shalfoon featured twice in the movement as the Mako grabbed its fifth try in the 66th minute.
But penalties eroded the momentum and Finn Hurley proved a super sub as he counter attacked from inside his own half and beat four defenders for Otago’s eighth and final try.
It was the second time the Mako had conceded 50 points on the road this season, while the 57-33 win lifted Otago to second on the ladder, three places ahead of Tasman.
It completed a Dunedin double header as earlier the Tasman women got television coverage for the first time this season, in their third round match.
A brilliant solo run from wing Kim Lammers, beating three defenders, had the Mako within three points of the Otago Spirit early in the second quarter.
But it then proved a hard watch as the home side, also seeking its first win of the season, ran in six second half tries to win 58-11.
Wing Te Atawhai Campbell proved unstoppable with four tries.
The showdown between openside flankers Leah Miles and Sarah Jones proved a feature.
With her pace and skillset, on and off the ball, Leah was again outstanding for Tasman as she soldiered the load against her former team.
She was giving away a huge size advantage to Sarah, the Tapawera product, who worked her way into the game with her powerful running and offloads.
Sarah also had the kicking duties but could only convert four of the 10 tries.
The Otago Spirit has now won all 10 of its matches against the Tasman Women who have conceded 145 points in three games.
