All attention this weekend, and rightly so, will be on the senior men’s team as it strives to add the NPC title to the Ranfurly Shield it has already put in the trophy cabinet for the summer.
But add in a respectable season from the Highlanders, Matatū making it to the Super Rugby Aupiki final, Southland enjoying the brief thrill of holding the Ranfurly Shield, the Otago Spirit winning the Farah Palmer Cup and — lest we forget — North Otago winning the Lochore Trophy, and it has been quite the season for rugby in the South.
Now, the pinnacle beckons. Otago has not won the National Provincial Championship since 1998, and not made the final since 2005.
Since those heady days there have been some parlous years and poor fare for southern rugby fans to endure. Some years single wins, let alone a winning season, have been hard to come by.
No disrespect to this year’s Otago squad, but it would not be unfair to say that ambitions for this season were not high. A blend of young local talent and grizzled veterans, respectability and maybe knocking off one or two of the historically titanic provinces would have been a more than acceptable performance.
Things started well enough, Otago lowering Southland’s colours on Stag Day in a rousing local derby.
However, a chastening loss to Hawke’s Bay the following week delivered what, in retrospect, may have been a vital reality check.
Wellington being the blue and gold’s next opponent did not bode well, but a tenacious 46-41 win gave Otago renewed heart and belief.
Otago has only lost one game since, narrowly to Tasman. In sweeping nearly all before it the province also reclaimed the Ranfurly Shield with a stirring win for the ages over Canterbury.
Finals always bring with them an element of uncertainty, but this Otago team lines up knowing that it can, indeed, beat the auld enemy on its home turf.
All Otago needs to do is to be as passionate and as determined as it was that day, and it can do an historic double over Canterbury.
While being supremely confident of Otago’s chances and sure that the front page of Monday’s Otago Daily Times will be a souvenir of a memorable day, there is always the slim possibility of things not turning out the way the province hopes.
Even should Sunday dawn with disappointment the season as a whole will still be one worthy of celebration.
It has been a long time since the Otago rugby team has been the subject of casual conversation, since everyone knew what time kick-off was, since it drew thousands to a home game.
Yes, everyone loves a winner, but it is the way this team has won which has marked it out.
Playing fearless, entertaining running rugby, fielding players from Gore and former pupils of King’s, John McGlashan and Otago Boys’ High School, this is a team which spectators can empathise with, which they can sense is from the province and is playing for the province.
Higher honours surely await many of these players: it has been thrilling seeing these youngsters taking giant steps toward loftier goals.
At a time of strikes, weather bombs and economic uncertainty, the Otago rugby team has put a smile on people’s faces and made the much-derided provincial rugby competition fun and relevant again.
This is already a season to remember, a season to be proud of.
Hopefully it ends on a winning note.
