They went head to head in the Edmond Cup Steeplechase two weeks ago, Anderson shading Meffan in the home straight, to win the 10.4km event by 3sec, in an impressive time of 35min 27sec, in heavy going.
Anderson has so far this season collected fastest time honours in the Lovelock and cross-country relay events, as well as the Barnes Cross-country before his victory in the Edmond Cup. The significance of his victories in both the Barnes (5km) and Edmond Cup (10.4) is that not only have they been achieved on grass but over distances outside his comfort zone. He is the current Otago champion in his specialist 1500m on the track.
But following his victory in the Edmond Cup, Anderson was quick to admit that Meffan would be ''dangerous'' come the Otago Cross-country.
Meffan won the Otago title last year in a match race with Dunedin Marathon record holder and Barry McGee coached Sam Wreford (Timaru). Wreford won, but the Otago title fell to Meffan, as Wreford is registered with the Canterbury centre.
Both Meffan and Anderson train together and Anderson was first to admit that Meffan was a little underdone going into the Edmond Cup two weeks ago.
''We've been doing a lot of speed sessions,'' Meffan said of his training with Anderson since the Edmond Cup.
Meffan admitted that Anderson was in better shape for the Edmond Cup and that today's race will be just his second for the season. His late start to the season brought on by his medical studies.
''I'm better prepared for this than I was for the Edmond,'' Meffan said.
''But if it was to happen, then Ben would be the one guy I don't mind getting beaten by. He's just in such great shape right now.''
Outright victory for Meffan today would put his season back on track, and the prestige of lifting the Otago cross-country crown would not be lost on him. Last year he became the first representative from the Caversham club since Anderson's father Geoff won the second of his two titles in 1993. Meffan's victory last year also set the Caversham club up for victory in the four-man team trophy, its first since Geoff Anderson's win 20 years earlier.
Unfortunately for Meffan's father Pat, who was among Otago's top middle distance runners in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a cross-country title was the only title to elude him, as mudlark Chip Dunckley won six consecutive Otago cross-country titles between 1977 and 1982, to go with the national cross-country title in 1979.
Although Geoff Anderson did not win back-to-back titles, victory today for Meffan would put him in a very select group of runners indeed. The last to record back-to-back titles was Luke Hurring (Ariki) in 2006-07, while others since World War were Harold Nelson (Civil Service), Kerry Williams (Leith), Pat Sidon (Caversham), Bruce Cowan (Caversham), Euan Robertson (Otago University), Chip Dunckley (Mornington/Hill City), Allan Carman (Leith) and Jeff Spillane (Hill City).
The senior women's title race over 8000m is expected to feature Deborah Lynch (Hill City-University) and Bridget Thompson (Ariki).
First race on the card tomorrow is at 12.45pm. The senior women face the starter at 1.30pm and senior men at 2.15.
