2 Aug 2009

Painful loss for Otago after leading for most of the game

7:03 am on 2 August 2009

Otago's Ranfurly Shield drought continues, 52 years and counting, after losing 23-19 to two late tries in Wellington on Friday night.

Flanker Adam Thomson, who was playing his first game back after injuring his hand playing for the All Blacks, says the history wasn't a factor for Otago.

Thomson says he told the team in a huddle after the final whistle to remember that feeling of losing a close and important match, and he hopes the experience will see them avoid the same thing later in the season.

Bay of Plenty also came back to beat Northland 19-14 in Rotorua.

And the All Blacks and the Springboks have had their captain's runs ahead of tomorrow morning's Tri-Nations Test in Durban.