Maniototo has chance to do double

Maniototo will be looking to tip up table-topping Wakatipu for the second time this season in the last round-robin games in the Central Otago premier club competition this weekend.

The Ranfurly-based side travelled to Queenstown in round seven and took the competition points and the White Horse Cup home with a 20-18 over the frontrunner.

The return fixture tomorrow could very well be replayed in two weeks, when the final of the competition is played.

Maniototo is always hard to tip over on its home patch and this week will be no different. Conditions are likely to be cold and greasy underfoot after a week of winter conditions throughout the region.

Wakatipu, for its part, lost to a well-performed Arrowtown last week and will be hoping it was just a hiccup along the way.

Maniototo needs to win well to give it the chance of a home semifinal next weekend against Arrowtown, while Wakatipu is guaranteed a home semifinal against Cromwell, win or lose.

Second-placed Arrowtown hosts Matakanui Combined in a game it needs to win to give it a chance of playing on home turf in the semifinals.

The first game this season between the two ended in a 32-23 win to Arrowtown, a game much closer than the final result indicated.

Arrowtown has had two wins in the past two weeks, including a good win over Wakatipu last week,  while Matakanui Combined will be keen to end an injury-ravaged season on a high.

Cromwell travels down the gorge to take on Clyde Earnscleugh and will be keen to continue the momentum it has going into the business end of the season.

The defending champion locked the White Horse Cup in its trophy cabinet for only the third time in its history and has the next three weeks of the rugby season firmly on its mind, acknowledging the difficulty of the task. For its part, Clyde Earnscleugh will be keen to tip over the Cromwell side to finish what has been a disappointing season for it.

Upper Clutha will host Alexandra in Tarras and both sides will be keen to finish with a win to end the  season on a high.

Upper Clutha has been around and about in discussions about top-four teams all season until last week’s loss to Cromwell ended its hopes. There has been no shortage of effort from Alexandra, which was the 2015 champion, and the side will be keen to put the past two seasons behind it and look towards next season.

- Malcolm Jones

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