Scots College first XV coach Filo Tiatia was doing his best to talk his side down earlier this week and by default install Otago Boys' High School as favourite.
The semifinals of the national first XV championships are being staged in Rotorua today. Otago Boys' will play Scots, and St Kentigern College and Rotorua Boys' High School meet in the other match.
Scots shared the title with Hamilton Boys' High School in 2014 and earlier this year placed third at the Sanix world rugby youth tournament in Japan.
But despite an impressive recent track record, Tiatia, a former All Black, said his side was ''pretty lucky to get in the top four''.
''We have a lot of players that just want to improve and excel and we like to play,'' he said.
''We play an expansive game and we like to use the ball if we can. But we are not kidding ourselves. We've got to make sure we go forward first.
''Otago Boys' have got a big forward pack. They play a very physical game and it suits their style.''
The Umaga Jensen twins, Thomas and Peter, are pivotal players in the Scots backline and are dangerous ball runners. Another key back, Connor Garden Bachop, is in doubt because of a head knock.
Up front, prop Alex Fidow is Scots' answer to giant Otago Boys' prop Sione Asi, and lock Henry Mexted, who is the nephew of former All Black Murray Mexted, is another key player in the line up.
''Underneath that we have a lot of young kids who just want to pull on the jersey and represent their school in a first class fashion and that is our team,'' Tiatia said.
''We are under no illusion how tough Otago Boys' are or how tough St Kentigern's and Rotorua Boys' are.
''We worked really hard to get where we are, because we are not the team of last year. We had a lot of special players in that team which was coached by Earl Va'a. The make up of this side is different.''
For Otago Boys', Asi has scored five tries in the past two games and is part of a useful pack which includes No8 Slade McDowall and blindside flanker Isimeli Tuivaga.
Centre Hemaua Samasoni takes some stopping, while second five eighth Kabe Calder has the knack of slipping through gaps.
National First XV Championship
Semifinal
Otago Boys' High School v Scots College
Rotorua, today at 1pm
Live on Sky's rugby channel
Otago Boys': Josh Buchan, George Thomas, Hemaua Samasoni, Kabe Calder, Jordan McEntee, Burns Mills, Tim Hogan, Slade McDowall, Will Tasker, Isimeli Tuivaga, Matt McNamara, Jarrell Pattison, Sione Asi, Ricky Jackson, Liam Sharples. Reserves: Drew McTaggart, Alex Frood, Tom Walsh, Adrian Fou, Mitch Kelly, Midge van Boxtel, Tim Morrison.
Scots College (from): Lotunu'u Haueia, James Pearce, George Jacobs, Alex Fidow, Jack Loader, Moala Katoa, Matt Sisson, Jarimar Schuster, Henry Mexted, Kiwa Erueti Newman, Ezra Dunlop, Connor Rowbotham, William Findlay, Christian Lee, Ollie Whiteman, Jack Royal, Josh Wilson, Thomas Woods, Luke Nixon, Thomas Umaga Jensen, Peter Umaga Jensen, Solomone Sovea, Malo Manuao, Connor Garden Bachop, Joe Boswell, Alec Cannons, Tommy Prescott, Drew Meiklejohn, Daniel Brown.
