Meffan, the last man standing from the victorious senior men's team of 2011, will captain a solid-looking Otago senior men's team intent on a medal at the Halswell Quarry course.
It is the same course on which, three years ago, Meffan and five team-mates won Otago's first senior men's title in 53 years.
Between 1903 and 1958, Otago teams prospered in national cross-country competition, winning 20 team titles.
Individual honours were also frequent and the province boasted 17 titles won by such athletes as Jim Beatson, Bill Pullar, Harold Nelson and Kerry Williams.
While team honours deserted Otago for 53 years until the 2011 victory, individual honours went to Pat Sidon (1961), Dick Tayler (1973), Chip Dunckley (1979) and John Campbell (1988).
The Otago senior men's team - Meffan, Caden Shields, Nathan Baxter, Dave Catherwood, Ben Anderson, Ken McDonald and Jonah Smith - that will contest the title today will have no lack of ability, courage and regional pride.
National junior 5000m champion Josh Baan is one of Otago's biggest hopes to bring home individual gold.
Baan showed recent form in the Edmond Cup and Otago cross-country championships, and could become the first representative from Otago to win the junior men's title since Max Smith in 2001 and the first to win a medal in the grade since Bevan Stevens won bronze in 2003.
Along with Baan, Otago also has a strong chance to medal in the team section.
Jake Jackson-Grammer, Alistair Meffan (Peter's younger brother) and Kirk Madgwick are all capable of top-15 finishes.
The Otago junior women's team of Susannah Lynch, Charlotte Cahill, Hannah Adamson, Charlotte Homan and Melissa Halley is capable and Lynch and Cahill are possible contenders for individual medals.
Oliver Chignell could feature in the youth men's race and will be supported by Aaron Anderson, Wilson Mitchell, Lochie Chittock, Matthew Ogle and Andrew Smith in the bid for team honours.
A strong Otago team contests the youth women's grade. National secondary schools champion Hanna English leads the way and will be backed by Tasmyn White, Jessie Murphy, Meg Adamson and Samantha Burke.
Kerrin Williams, Alan Funnell, Mark O'Donnell, Danny Baillie, Andrew Lonie and Neale McLanachan line up in the masters men's 35 grade, while two-time Otago senior champion Geoff Anderson heads a strong line-up in the masters men's 50 grade with Richard Hendry, Rob Homan, Dave Cross, Alan Nicholls, Chris Sole, Peter Clark and Gene Sanderson.
Otago has a strong masters women's team, headed by Louisa Andrew, who won the national women's 35-39 title last year.
Andrew will be supported by Maria Sleeman, Mel Aitken, Jude Patterson, Donna Young, Sue Cuthbert, Barbara Patrick and Dalise Sanderson.
Mary Gray and Bella Bloomfield take with them Otago's chances in what is a very competitive senior women's field.
