Counties Manukau vs Otago Betting Tips - Otago backed in NPC clash against Manukau

Ralph Staniforth

Editor

Last updated: Wed 16 Sep 2026 02:17

Ralph Staniforth 4 hours ago

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Otago have won 4 of their last 5 NPC matches
Counties Manukau struggle for consistency, with only 2 wins in 7 games
Otago strongly tipped to cover -14.5 handicap in Dunedin

Otago are in contention to reach the play-offs (Getty Images)

Otago are flying at the moment and currently find themselves fourth on the table while Counties Manukau have not managed to put consistent performacnes together. In Dunedin, I can only seee this going the hosts way.

Key Stats - Otago have Momentum
Otago lag Behind
Counties Manukau not having their Best Campaign
Otago Four Wins in last Five
Team News

Key Stats - Otago have Momentum

Otago have won 4 of their last 5 fixtures.
Otago have won 4 of their last 6 away games.
Counties Manukau have lost 3 of their last 5 matches.
Counties Manukau have lost 2 of their last 3 games against Otago.

Otago lag Behind

Counties Manukau have the advantage with six victories to four against Otago in ten meetings in the National Provincial Championship.

Counties Manukau not having their Best Campaign

Counties Manukau scored a converted try in the first half against Auckland last weekend, going into the break trailing their hosts 19-7.

Manukau mounted a comeback in the second half, adding four tries and three conversions to their tally, but fell short, losing 43-33 to Auckland.

Earlier in their season, the Steelers lost 20-5 at home to Taranaki, 59-19 to North Harbour away, 50-35 at home to Tasman, and 45-12 to Waikato away before beating Wellington 46-35 away and Southland 47-24 at home.

Manukau are 13th in the National Provincial Championship table with 12 points after seven rounds.

Counties Manukau have struggled to find consistency this season, and will have to produce a clinical performance to beat Otago, as their opponents have won four of their last six away games.

Otago Four Wins in last Five

Otago scored four converted tries in the first half against Tasman last weekend to lead 28-19 at half-time.

The home side continued to pile on the points in the second half, scoring four tries, three conversions, and a penalty to cruise to an easy 57-33 home win over Tasman.

Before that performance, the Blue and Gold defeated Southland 41-14 away and lost 19-15 at home to Canterbury before beating Manawatu 29-27 away and Wellington 61-22 and Waikato 43-38 at home, respectively, before losing 35-24 away to Hawke's Bay.

Otago are fourth in the NPC table with 27 points from seven matches.

Otago have an opportunity to take one step closer to this season's play-offs when they take on Counties Manukau, as they defeated their opponents in two of their last three meetings, and their hosts have lost three of their last five fixtures.

Team News

Counties Manukau Steelers

Josh Gray scored a brace against Auckland last weekend.

Alamanda Motuga, Rico McQuoid, and Aporosa Vuniyayawa contributed a try each.

AJ Alatimu landed four conversions in the match.

The line-up for the Steelers will be added once it has been announced.

Otago

Patrick Pellegrini, Josh Whaanga, Jake Te Hiwi, Lucas Casey, Jona Nareki, Riley Lucas, Kieran McClea, and Finn Hurley scored a try each against Tasman last weekend.

Patrick Pellegrini slotted seven conversions and a penalty in the match.

The team for Otago will be added once it has been announced.

Verdict

Counties Manukau v Otago

Otago have had a solid campaign in this edition of the NPC so far and are tipped to cover the -14.5 handicap in their match against Counties Manukau.

Otago -14.5

Handicap

@10/11 - 3 Units

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Ralph is a passionate sports journalist and coach based in Cape Town. Find his coverage across the biggest rugby union and cricket events as well as South African soccer and tennis.

Ralph is from South Africa and studied Sports Science post school at ETA (Education Teachers Academy) in Cape Town.
He has always had a great passion for sport and this led him into the world of sports journalism, while coaching on the side.

Since 2012 Ralph has worked as a journalist and covered many topics from business to sport.

Over the last decade and more, he has interviewed numerous top rugby and cricket players and coaches in South Africa.

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