Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live updates of this evening's Mitre 10 Cup match between Auckland and Otago at Eden Park in Auckland.
FT: AKL 26-31 OTA
OTAGO HOLD ON! Auckland tried the gritty approach themselves but Ruru knocks it on at the base of the scrum and that'll do it. Hats off to Otago. A superb match from them and deserved winners. Auckland will have to go to the drawing board after tonight - especially in the lineouts which cost them dearly. For Otago, great counterattacking rugby and a special night for Faddes. That's it from us. Enjoy you're evening.
80min: AKL 26-31 OTA
AUCKLAND GET ONE LAST CHANCE! After 28 phases of hit ups from the forwards, Otago are finally penalised for not releasing. Auckland kick for touch as the hooter goes. Lineout is 8m out.
76min: AKL 26-31 OTA
Like France in 2007, Otago are going to the left pod, right pod strategy to kill the clock. 8 phases already.
75min: AKL 26-31 OTA
There's a scuffle after a dogpile from the lineout but there's nothing in it. Otago scrum coming in the same spot.
74min: AKL 26-31 OTA
Another botched lineout and it haunts Auckland. They recover the ball but Otago gets numbers to the ruck and force a penalty for not releasing. Big moment in the game. Otago kick for touch. Lineout just inside Auckland's half.
73min: AKL 26-31 OTA
Auckland clear from the kickoff and Koroi drops it cold! Auckland recover, recycle quickly to the left wing where who else but Ioane is. He's powering down the left wing. Drops a grubber and Nareki kicks it into touch. Auckland lineout 30m from Otago's line.
71min: AKL 26-31 OTA
AKL TRY! Auckland gives themselves a chance as Ioane takes it from the back of the scrum and bowls over to score. Too big, too fast, too easy. Strap in folks. We're in for a wild finish.
69min: AKL 19-31 OTA
Another scrum goes down. Another penalty. Auckland choose the scrum again. Could be getting into discipline worries for Otago here.
68min: AKL 19-31 OTA
Make or break moment for Auckland. They've earned a penalty shortly after the kickoff and choose a scrum. 10m out from Otago's line. Need to score here.
65min: AKL 19-31 OTA
OTA TRY! FADDES GETS A HAT-TRICK AND THAT MAY DO IT! Otago drop a cheeky kick over the line and Faddes runs onto it. Gets the bounce, spins out of a sweeping tackle and runs 5m to score. What a try. Is Auckland's undefeated run about to come to an end?
61min: AKL 19-24 OTA
Auckland cough the ball up at the lineout and Otago clear. Auckland look to run it back but there's a knock on. Otago scrum on Auckland's 22m.
58min: AKL 19-24 OTA
Auckland back into attacking territory with a penalty. Plummer finds touch and it's a lineout 30m from Otago's line.
56min: AKL 19-24 OTA
Superb clear from Koroi. Auckland lineout on halfway.
55min: AKL 19-24 OTA
Another handling error by Auckland inside Otago's 22m! Costly. That's their 13th turnover in contrast to 8 by Otago. Otago scrum 10m from their line.
54min: AKL 19-24 OTA
Auckland earn a penalty at the scrum and kick for touch. It's a lineout on Otago's 22m.
51min: AKL 19-24 OTA
Nareki tries to get around Ioane but the big No.8 gets to him and drives him into touch. Doesn't matter though as we'll come back for a scrum on halfway. Otago feed.
49min: AKL 19-24 OTA
OTA TRY! It takes 12 phases but Otago finally find the hole. It's Faddes again stepping inside his man and stretching for the line. Otago in front!
46min: AKL 19-17 OTA
And now Otago have a superb attacking chance after making a break down the left win. Faddes finds Nareki with a skip pass. Nareki grubbers one through. Clarke gets back to get it but he's penalised for not releasing after Otago arrive in numbers. Otago scrum 5m from Auckland's line.
45min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Another kicking battle takes shape and Otago win it again as they force Plummer into touch. Otago lineout on halfway.
43min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Auckland launch an attack early after the kickoff after Sotutu and Umaga combine but after an amazing break, Otago deny them metres from the line. Otago are there in numbers and force a penalty for not releasing! Otago clear and get a lineout on their 22m.
40min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Back underway in Auckland with Otago kicking things off.
HT: AKL 19-17 OTA
Auckland hold a small lead but this is anyone's game. Forget form, forget standings. This is two attacking sides looking to use anything and everything to crack the line and it's producing an exciting game of footy. Mataveo has had a superb half for Otago and is the big reason they're in the game but that brain explosion moments ago could be a game changer. Ioane and Clarke are having strong games for Auckland too. We'll be back soon for the second half.
40+1min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Otago had a chance to take the lead with a penalty 7m out and in front of the posts but Mataveo looks to take it quickly. He runs and gets ABSOLUTELY FLATTENED! Otago try to recover but three phases later there's a knock on and that ends the half. Mataveo is very slow to get up from that one. Don't blame him, to be fair.
37min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Otago try a kick down the right wing. Mataveo gives chase but he's just short. Knocks it on 3m from Auckland's line. Auckland scrum on their 5m.
36min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Otago with one last attacking chance as Auckland are penalised for hands in the ruck. Otago kick for touch and get a lineout 35m from Auckland's line.
34min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Auckland look to attack down the left wing but Ravouvou is bundled into touch. Otago lineout just inside their 22m.
32min: AKL 19-17 OTA
Otago clear off the kickoff with another great kick. Auckland lineout 10m inside Otago's half.
31min: AKL 19-17 OTA
OTA TRY! Otago's turn to fire a counter. This time it's Faddes after Otago attack the blindside from the scrum. Two quick recycles and Faddes slips through two defenders to score near the left wing.
29min: AKL 19-12 OTA
And now Otago are back on the attack! Auckland fail to recover the restarting kickoff and Otago pounce on it. Mataveo picks and gos himself and gets to within inches of the line. Auckland look to coutner ruck but knock the ball on in the process. Otago scrum 5m from Auckland's line.
27min: AKL 19-12 OTA
AKL TRY! Auckland strike back. Otago overthrow at the lineout and Auckland recover it. From there, it's a simple draw and pass down the line to the left wing as Otago are out of formation still and Manu scores his second near the corner.
25min: AKL 14-12 OTA
Faddes keeps Auckland under pressure with a superb kick. It bounces into touch and Auckland are 10m from their own line with a lineout. But Auckland respond with a big run from Ioane that Umaga follows up with a pinpoint kick of his own. It also bounces into touch and Otago now have a lineout 15m from their line. End to end action non stop!
23min: AKL 14-12 OTA
OTA TRY! Otago hit the line hard off the lineout but they're short. Recycled quickly with numbers to the left and they use it to put Nareki over in the corner. Ioane misses from the left sideline.
21min: AKL 14-7 OTA
Otago get a good attacking chance as Auckland are penalised for hands in the ruck. They turn down the three on offer and kick for touch. Lineout 5m out.
20min: AKL 14-7 OTA
Otago and Auckland scrap for territory with the boot but Otago come out on top after Plummer is tackled inside Auckland's 22m. That forces Ruru into a clearing box kick that floats into touch. Otago lineout 30m from Auckland's line.
17min: AKL 14-7 OTA
Auckland keep hold of the ball again from the kick off and nearly get another linebreak down the left wing but Ioane's pass is ruled inches forward. Otago back to 15 men for a scrum just inside their half.
15min: AKL 14-7 OTA
AKL TRY! What a response from Auckland. After the restart kickoff, Auckland shift it wide the left wing and grubber it ahead into plenty of space. Otago get back to scoop it up but Ioane is in with a great tackle and a turnover! Auckland pick and go for 14 phases to get within inches of the line before shifting it wide and they've got numbers on the right to score easily. Auckland in front.
12min: AKL 7-7 OTA
AKL TRY! Manu gets the credit on the scorecard but the forwards gave it to him on a silver platter. Perfect maul from the lineout gets them to within 5m. They go down the blindside and Manu uses the mismatch to dive over in the right corner. Plummer nails it from the sideline. All locked up.
9min: AKL 0-7 OTA
Otago's defence steps up and holds Auckland off for eight phases before forcing a turnover. They edge out of their 22m and it costs them dearly as the following clearing kick is out on the full. That brings it 40 odd metres back to JUST outside the Otago 22m. Still, they've already chewed up four and half minutes on Collins' binning.
7min: AKL 0-7 OTA
Otago clear from the scrum with a decent kick. Auckland lineout on Otago's 22m.
6min: AKL 0-7 OTA
AKL NO TRY! Auckland go for the line after the maul fails but as they reach out a great tackle knocks the ball loose. Otago survive for now with a 5m scrum.
5min: AKL 0-7 OTA
OTA YELLOW! Clarke makes a perfect pass to Umaga and he looks destined to score after breaking down the left wing. He's one-on-one with Koroi, Koroi makes the stop. Umaga looks to offload 2m from the line to a free Rayasi but Collins comes through and deliberately knocks the ball down. That's an easy call for the ref. 10 in the bin and a penalty. Auckland go to the lineout with it.
3min: AKL 0-7 OTA
OTA TRY! Perfect start for the visitors! The ball spews out the back of an Auckland scrum inside Otago's half and the southerners scoop it up and run away to score under the posts through Koroi.
KICKOFF
We're underway in Auckland!
PREVIEW
Auckland are looking to keep their sensational season going at home tonight against a mixed Otago outfit.
The Premiership leaders will once again put their undefeated status on the line at Eden Park after scraping past Taranaki 31-30 last week while Otago are coming off a tough 47-25 loss at home.
To make matters worse for Otago, Auckland enter the game having scored 30+ points in their last four outings thanks largely to the running efforts of Akira Ioane, Salesi Rayasi and Caleb Clarke.
If form wasn't enough to state the favourite, history doesn't help the southerners either.
Heading into tonight's contest, Auckland have won 55 of the 85 games between the two provinces since 1883.
One slice of hope for the visitors though is their most recent contest was an Otago win - 34-26.
TEAMS
Auckland: 1: Sam Prattley 2: Mike Sosene-Feagai 3: Marcel Renata 4: Evan Olmstead 5: Jack Whetton 6: Hoskins Sotutu 7: Dalton Papalii 8: Akira Ioane 9: Jonathan Ruru 10: Harry Plummer 11: Salesi Rayasi 12: Tanielu Tele’a 13: Tuma Manu 14: Caleb Clarke 15: Jacob Umaga
Reserves: Robbie Abel, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Marco Fepulea’i, Fa’atiga Lemalu, Waimana Reidlinger-Kapa, Leon Fukofuka, Joe Ravouvou
Otago: 1: Jonah Aoina 2: Sekonaia Pole 3: Hisa Sasagi 4: Tom Rowe 5: Josh Dickson 6: Joketani Koroi 7: Slade McDowall 8: Sione Misiloi 9: Melani Matavao 10: Josh Ioane 11: Jona Nareki 12: Matt Whaanga 13: Matt Faddes 14: Vilimoni Koroi 15: Michael Collins
Reserves: Sam Anderson-Heather, George Bower, Donald Brighouse, Josh Larsen, Dylan Nel, Kurt Hammer, Sio Tomkinson, Mitchell Scott
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