With the Ranfurly Shield challenge against Hawkes Bay set for Sunday, Otago could be excused for thinking ahead to the weekend, but coach Tony Brown said the side was strictly looking at the match against Northland at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight and nothing further.
''That is not for us. We are not a good enough team to plan ahead. We have to take every game as it comes and we'll be ready for Hawkes Bay when that game comes,'' he said.
''We only play 10 games in a season and we just have to prepare for this game as normal.''
Team selection was for this match only and, with the condensed season, no side could afford to focus on a particular match over another.
Otago will seek to improve on its solid effort against Canterbury when, with an ounce of luck and better execution, it could have got the better of the red and blacks.
''To be able to stop a side like Canterbury and hold them to just two tries considering what they had done in previous games is pretty good. Hopefully, that will give us some confidence in the coming games.
''We had a couple of opportunities against Canterbury and when you play against those top sides you really have to take everything that comes along.''
Northland loomed at the start of the year as an easybeat but has recorded two impressive victories, including getting home over Hawkes Bay in the wet in Whangarei last Friday night.
It will not be wet tonight but Brown said the side from the north appeared to have taken a step forward from last year.
''They have improved the way they attack and defensively they are committed. They look a team which have spent a bit more time together and are well coached.''
With the competition stripped of All Blacks and other frontline players, there is a real evenness among teams, and no side can be taken for granted.
Otago will field two new names in prop Mike Mata'afa, who will be in the starting XV, and George Bower who will come off the bench.
Brown said the two props had been identified in club rugby and had been working hard with scrum coach Kees Meeuws on their games.
They had been playing well for the Otago development side, and had been involved in the Otago set-up before the season started.
Scott Manson, who started every game for Otago last year in the front row, has had a terrible run with injury this year and now has a problem with the bottom of one of his feet.
Kieran Moffat got through 80 minutes for North Otago last week and will be available for the shield game.
Flanker Hugh Blake will make his first appearance for Otago tonight after injury disrupted his start to the season. He has undoubted ability but needs to get on the field more often at this level.
This game marks the midway section of the competition and Otago, in a three-way tie for second place on the championship, can go top of the table with a convincing win.
It needs to make the most of chances that come along and run Northland around in what is bound to be a wide open game.
Otago v Northland
FB Stadium, tonight, 7.35pm
Otago: Trent Renata, Matt Faddes, Jayden Spence, Tei Walden, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Hayden Parker, Josh Renton, Charlie O'Connell (captain), Hugh Blake, Lee Allan, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Michael Mata'afa, Liam Coltman, Aki Seiuli. Reserves: Sam Anderson-Heather, George Bower, Josh Dickson, Naulia Dawai, Nick Ealey, Peter Breen, Tony Ensor.
Northland: Mathew Wright, Whiria Meltzer, Brook Gilmore, Troy Gilbert, Jone Macilai, Dan Hawkins, Tane Takulua, Cam Eyre (captain), Jack Ram, Dan Pryor, Tom Murday, Shane Neville, Namatahi Waa, Matthew Moulds, Ross Wright. Reserves: Howard Sililoto, WillGriff John, Michael Stolberg, Kara Pryor, Kurt Davies, Latiume Fosita, Warren Dunn.
Referee: Michael Lash (Tasman)
