Opposition coaches are scratching their combined heads as they attempt to devise tactics to end Old Boys' unbeaten run of nine games in the Citizens Shield.
Some teams have held on for the first 40 minutes.
Excelsior, twice, has trailed Old Boys narrowly - by 12 points and four points - at halftime.
Kurow kept Old Boys to 12-7 at halftime in the first round, while Valley stayed within 16 points in the first half.
Old Boys is a fit side.
It plays the game at pace for the full 80 minutes and is very physical in its approach on attack and defence.
Second-placed Athletic Marist, which has a seven-point lead over third-placed Excelsior, cannot afford to be complacent as Kurow and Excelsior are within striking distance if Athletic should stumble in any of the six games remaining before the semifinals.
Athletic will be looking closely at what went wrong against Kurow last Saturday when it trailed 30-12 at halftime.
Some hard words and more consistent application enabled it to get home 40-37.
Citizens Shield rugby returns to the main oval for the first time since the beginning of May.
This could provide the motivation Athletic will surely need when it plays Old Boys.
Excelsior, which plays Maheno tomorrow at the Maheno Domain, should not go into this game overconfident.
Injuries took their toll on Excelsior against Old Boys last week.
In the final stages, forwards filled the crucial midfield back positions.
Players to stand out for Old Boys were Inoke Naufahu, a halfback with a superb pass and exceptional pace in the open, and powerful lock Sale Pi'i, who is a defensive nightmare for opposing teams.
Excelsior hooker Joe Collins produced some storming runs backing up flanker Matt Duff, and No 8 John Kelly, a newcomer to the club, excels in the loose and is an able exponent at lineout time.
- Terry O'Neill
