With the Central Otago versus South Otago Topp Cup game to be played today in Alexandra, Wakatipu and Arrowtown were wary of tiring their representing players at their weekend Central Otago premier rugby competition games.
Arrowtown had four players selected for the Central Otago side while Wakatipu had six.
Wakatipu played Matakanui on Friday night at Omakau which resulted in a 37-25 win, which Wakatipu captain Regan Pearce said was pleasing but "not one of our best wins".
Pearce said the team elected to move the Saturday game to Friday night to space it out from Monday's match and give other players a long weekend.
"It was a bit of a patchy game ... I would say we were still a bit hungover from the White Horse Cup win, and Friday night under lights was a bit different for us.
"We underestimated how strong they were going to come out - they came out and really took it to us."
Within Wakatipu's 37 points were 6 tries, two by Mark Te Whaiti.
As a result of the win, Wakatipu took away 5 points as well as the bonus point which Pearce acknowledged contributed towards the all-important semifinals.
"Our goal is to finish in the top two so we can secure a home semifinal."
The side has a "big one" against Clyde on Wakatipu's turf this Saturday.
Wakatipu faced Clyde in the third match of the season and suffered a loss, its only other loss being to Arrowtown in early May, and Pearce said the team would employ different tactics.
Meanwhile, Arrowtown fought a close match against Maniototo at Ranfurly on Saturday.
Arrowtown club president Simon Spark said the 27-7 score to Arrowtown showed it was a "hard-fought game".
"Arrowtown had a lot of possession, which I think probably told in the end."
At halftime, the score was 12-0 to Arrowtown and during the second half Maniototo "came back quite strong, which resulted in them scoring their try".
Arrowtown coach Hayden Finch said the win against Maniototo was the first "since 2008 over there, so the boys really played well".
The side has a home game against Upper Clutha this Saturday and Spark said with four players playing in the Topp Cup game today "we will just see how we scrub up after that".
"We will push on to the playoffs."
