Otago Rugby Football Union community rugby manager Richard Perkins declined to comment yesterday, other than to say the match committee will meet on Friday to discuss the options.
But a well-placed source told the Otago Daily Times it would take a miracle for the semifinals to be played at the University Oval.
The run of wet weather in the city has left the cricket pitch block sodden and heavy underfoot, raising safety concerns for the players.
Dunedin Venues Management Limited is contracted to prepare the surface but referred questions to the Dunedin City Council.
Acting parks operations manager Gareth Jones said the contractors would be doing everything they could to get the ground ready.
''I will be meeting with the ORFU on Friday morning just to take a look at the ground and we'll speak together to decide whether they are happy with it to be used for the semifinals.
''The reason the ORFU don't want to make a decision now is because we still have a
few days to see what the condition of the ground is and I can't really comment on its chances just yet.''
It is understood Forsyth Barr Stadium is unavailable, so if the games have to be shifted from the University Oval then perhaps they will be played at the home venues of the two leading sides.
Southern has secured top billing regardless of what happens in its final round-robin game against Dunedin at Kettle Park this weekend.
It will play Kaikorai in one semifinal and potentially at Bathgate Park.
Harbour and Dunedin will meet in the other semifinal. The Hawks can clinch second place with a win against
University on Saturday, setting up a potential semifinal at Watson Park, although that
surface is in a poor state as well.
The other option, if the match committee wanted a neutral venue, would be to stage both games at Hancock Park.