Otago v Taranaki

NPC - National Provincial Championship
14 October , 2001

Farewell Chainsaw.

One of the great characters of New Zealand rugby farewelled his home supporters at Carisbrook, Dunedin with an emphatic Otago victory over Taranaki in the NPC 1st Division championship.

Brendon Laney, nicknamed the Chainsaw, lived up to his name by cutting up the Taranaki defence to score the first two tries in front of an adoring crowd.

Laney is off to Scotland to play rugby and there is only an outside chance that Otago will get a further game at home this year. Local hardware chain Mitre 10 provided cardboard cutouts of chainsaws for the crowd to wave as they saluted the enigmatic Laney. Each try was met with the PA system blaring out chainsaw sounds also!

The Bottom Bus group were also revelling in it enjoying the atmosphere and adding their own. All Black first five eight (flyhalf for you British) was on song too with a perfect 12 from 12 kicking display, many from difficult angles.

Prize winners from this trip were :- Tony Jones - Otago Rugby jersey for picking the closest score Richard Graeme - AJ Hackett Bungy for the face-painting competition Jutta - Speights t-shirt and cap for first try scorer. And everyone was a winner with Bottom Bus shouting the first round back at the Gardies afterwards!

We'll let the some of the group on the Bottom Bus Rugby Trip say the rest...

OTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGOOOOOOO!! Great beer, great beer, great day - would definitely do it again. Helen, Birmingham UK

Wicked atmosphere. Fantastic game (we slaughtered them). Great banter and even more beer. Abi, Birmingham UK

Great day out especially when Otago win - free beer!!! It's all good. Paul, Gillingham UK

An awesome afternoon! The Rugby was both entertaining and a good excuse for more than a few beers! Kate, Birmingham UK.

Rugby, beer, face-painting, beer, food, and beers - what more could you want! It's all good, but warning : wearing a British Lions top to the pub afterwards is not advisable! Rich, Kent England

12 kicks out of 12. One word describes Tony Brown's (Otago No. 10) performance : Awesome! Top day out, loads of freebies and the chance to see locals make fools of themselves at half time. What more can you ask for!! Oh and the SKY girl has a great butt!! Paul, Gillingham UK

If you want an awesome day out get on the Bottom Bus and watch an "Otaaaaaagooo" Rugby match. Wicked atmosphere, plenty of beer, excellent food. What else can you ask for? I definitely recommend it. Jutta, Germany

Top game - reminded us of the rugby games back home, except the players were BIGGER and better!!! Perhaps they could be encouraged to come to Wales (and not just to play rugby!). Diolch. Helen, Sarah, Emma - Cwm Cyon Wales

Only one thing left to say.

OTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGO!!!!!!

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