Rugby: Arrowtown seeks to complete haul

One more win is all it will take to complete Arrowtown's best season in recent memory.

It would not only have the White Horse Cup and be the Central Otago club rugby champion, it would also have the proud title of Otago's best country side.

However, today's Otago Country final will not be an easy task for Arrowtown, as it plays South Otago powerhouse Lawrence, which played in the Metro-Country final against Zingari-Richmond last week.

Jack Reid Park, in Arrowtown, will host a final with 10 Otago Country squad members.

Lawrence went through its 2009 season undefeated in the South-West Otago competition and it lost only to Kaikorai (15-6) and Zingari (40-12) once it reached the Metro-Country competition.

Lawrence boasts some prominent players, including Otago squad member and former Taranaki first five-eighth Sam Young and well-performed halfback James Kenny, who played in the pre-season for Otago.

Blockbusting No 8 Junior Maiono and fleet-footed Lex Kaleca in the centres will be other players to watch.

Kaleca has scored 15 tries this season and with a stable forward platform, Lawrence will be hard to beat.

Arrowtown has its own star power, including No 8 Dan Iosefo and openside flanker Aidan Winter, who both had outstanding games in the Central Otago final last weekend.

Each scored tries to help their side to a win against Upper Clutha.

First five-eighth Reece Winter, Aidan's brother, controlled the match well last week, kicking his side into scoring positions and landing all but one of his attempts at goal.

He will need to have an even better match if Arrowtown is to win, because he will surely be a target for the Lawrence loose forward trio.

Arrowtown's weakness may be its outside backs, exposed at times against Upper Clutha last week. It shapes as an intriguing final.

Lawrence probably starts as the favourite, but Arrowtown has not lost a game at home in two years.

• Otago Country final
Arrowtown v Lawrence
Jack Reid Park, Arrowtown
Today, 2.45pm