The Upper Clutha-Wakatipu game, scheduled for Queenstown, will determine which team qualifies top, Cromwell or Upper Clutha, while Alexandra and Maniototo will battle it out at Molyneux Park in a desperate bid to become the fourth semifinalist.
Wakatipu are secure in third place regardless of the outcome of their clash with Upper Clutha despite losing their recent clashes against Cromwell and Maniototo.
They could become the ultimate spoilers, having taken Upper Clutha to the wire in their first-round clash in Wānaka.
Upper Clutha won that game 13-8 thanks to an intercept try by co-captain Oliver Stirling and a missed penalty opportunity by Wakatipu three minutes from time.
Upper Clutha have scored 62 tries at almost six a game, but against Wakatipu they managed just a solitary five-pointer.
Wakatipu coach Tom Cunningham says his team is ‘‘raring to go’’ against the defending champions.
‘‘Unfortunately, we’ve lost three players to injury — centre Harry Walker-Leach and forwards Thomas Williams and Joe Tingle — but we’ve got good depth in our squad.’’
Upper Clutha coach Mark Evans does not want this contest to become a ‘‘banana skin’’ event for them.
‘‘We’re still a point behind Cromwell and need the victory,’’ he said.
‘‘It would be easy to become complacent.’’
Unlike Wakatipu, Upper Clutha, who were awesomely efficient against front-runners Cromwell last Saturday, have all their squad members available, including centre Jack East and flanker Jack Colbourne, who were absent last Saturday.
Improving weather will hopefully help the Queenstown Recreation Ground dry out before tomorrow, or the game could possibly be transferred to the Events Centre.
Alexandra and Maniototo sit equal fourth on 21 points, meaning the winner will advance to the semifinals.
It has been a weird season for Alexandra, who have lost eight of their 11 games. But one of those victories was a 50-19 triumph over Maniototo in Ranfurly.
Since then, Maniototo have won three times, including against Arrowtown and Wakatipu, who both beat them in the first round.
The remaining contest tomorrow pits Arrowtown against Matakanui Combined at Jack Reid Park, but neither side can qualify for the playoffs.
Having five points docked for fielding unregistered players in the victory over Alexandra has come back to haunt Arrowtown. — Bob Howitt
