Arrowtown has gone back to its home base at Jack Reid Park for the White Horse Cup fixture against the competition front-runner Wakatipu tomorrow.
This is just the next chapter in the story of the coveted White Horse Cup that dates back to 1926.
It is a special event for holder and challenger alike. The holder will fight to the death to keep its hands on the trophy while the challenger spends weeks planning to upset the holder’s plans.
Supporters bus to the opposition ground to watch their team battle for the the trophy.
The game tomorrow will be no different.
The teams are based only 20km from each other, in the Wakatipu basin, but are poles apart. It is a rivalry born out of the utmost passion of each team for its home base and a no-holds-barred approach towards each other.
Maniototo hosts Matakanui Combined at Ranfurly and any clash between these two is worth more than a glance. Maniototo bounced back in its last game with a good win over defending champion Cromwell.
The Omakau-based side will be keen to notch its first win of the season to get itself up from the bottom of the table. There has been no lack of commitment from this young side which is down on numbers this season.
Alexandra heads six minutes’ drive westward tomorrow to take on the old foe Clyde Earnscleugh. There is some history between these two clubs — a healthy rivalry one, could say. Both clubs are steeped in history. Clyde was established in 1889 and Alexandra followed a year. Alexandra shows signs of getting back to some form following a disappointing season last year as defending 2015 champion.
The Clyde Earnscleugh side has shown glimpses of last season’s form and will be a tough nut to crack, especially at home.
Cromwell travels to Wanaka to take on host Upper Clutha and will be hoping the week off has given its players a chance to regroup from the loss in the last game against Maniototo. The defending champion has not reached the giddy heights of last season and will be sweating on the availability of talented halfback Ben Maxwell.
There is plenty riding on this game, with the John Scott Memorial on the line. Upper Clutha, for its part, is playing some good footy this season and will be up for the challenge.
- Malcolm Jones