Rugby league fans and keen sports followers are looking forward to the final of the Four Nations competition in Wellington on Saturday.
Australia plays New Zealand, the Kangaroos against the Kiwis, in a rivalry going back to 1908.
It has been dominated by the big brother across the Tasman.
Sometimes, though, upsets occur as evidenced at the start of the tournament when the Kiwis triumphed 30-12.
Thanks to players of New Zealand origins or links now playing and starring across many of the National Rugby League teams in Australia, this country has more depth than before.
It can cope better with the withdrawal of a few premier players.
Nevertheless, league's strength in New South Wales and Queensland is such that the Kangaroos, even minus some of the big names, are still expected, once again, to have too much class, skill and power.
Against the likes of Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Daly Cherry-Evans, a win to the Kiwis would again be an upset.
The South, last Saturday, had the chance to witness the Kiwis in action against England at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
This was the first league test in the city for 86 years and a tight and vigorous contest took place.
In fact, if two conversions had sneaked inside rather than hitting the uprights England could easily have won by two rather than losing 16-14.
The game was fast with few stoppages and enjoyed by a good but not spectacular crowd of just under 16,000.
Sure, Dunedin is not a league city. There are only a handful of league teams and just a few years ago not even a proper competition.
But the NRL and the New Zealand Warriors are followed by many and stronger support from Dunedin people would have been hoped for.
Here was a chance to watch some big names and leading athletes in the flesh and close-up.
And it really is close-up at the stadium. Those who come from other centres rave about the facility, while it seems many in Dunedin still fail to recognise just how good it is.
Although the financial viability of the stadium was heavily oversold, the arena is first rate, particularly because it is so intimate.
Ticket prices last Saturday were reasonable, about a third or less than for All Black seats, and there was plenty of publicity.
It was a shame most of the city's 20,000 students had finished exams and departed, but it is definitely the case that larger numbers of Dunedin citizens will have to whole-heartedly support such events if they are going to keep coming.
The support from outside Dunedin was encouraging, with stadium figures showing 57% of tickets were bought from Dunedin, 11% from other parts of Otago, 24% from the rest of the South Island , 2% from the North Island and 6% ''other''.
It is also likely a slice of that 57% were used by spectators from beyond Dunedin, and city accommodation filled up.
The thousands who came from out of town were a positive benefit of the test and of the stadium, and it would have been hard to see the match coming to Dunedin rather than Christchurch if Carisbrook had been the proposed venue.
Those at the match might not have seen Shaun Johnson make any thundering tackles because that will never be his way.
They did, however, witness one of this country's flashiest sportsmen run, kick and pass with skill.
For the sake of the Kiwis, let us hope he can display his verve and swerve on Saturday, that the forwards repeat the aggression and purpose they demonstrated during the previous clash against the Kangaroos, and that the defence on the flanks - suspect against England - can tighten up.
Although the Kiwis again go in as clear underdogs (their overall record in transtasman match-ups is winning about one in four), another upset in Wellington is distinctly possible.
That will help boost league as it enjoys its time in the sporting limelight.
