Last week, in the White Ribbon match, a below-strength Otago side did reasonably well, losing only 2-1.
Tomorrow's ASB Premiership fixture will be no holds barred.
Otago should have Tristan Prattley back from international duty. The New Zealand under-23 side was beaten 3-0 by the Saudi Arabia national team in Melbourne, and played its second fixture last night.
Travel schedules permitting, captain Prattley will return with regular keeper Peter Evans and midfielder Sam Mepham. Youngster Joel Stevens is still trialling overseas with the San Jose Earthquakes.
Last week's scorer, Ant Hancock, and Zac Rathbone are unavailable, and defenders Jude Fitzpatrick and Liam Lockhart have not been selected.
Three points would boost Otago's morale, with matches yet to play against Auckland at home, and Waikato away.
Coach Richard Murray must aim for as many points as possible, but perhaps this is also the time to be thinking about next year's team, experimenting with his young squad, and perhaps planning for an injection of experience.
Surprisingly, Otago could yet feature in the White Ribbon final if Wellington can be beaten by more than four goals at Tahuna Park on March 4.
Canterbury's hopes in the charity competition vanished when it needed at least a four-goal win to have any hope of dislodging Wellington from top spot.
But coach Keith Braithwaite's team has eyes on bigger prizes as it chases a playoff spot and a possible O-League berth next season.
Of the 19 derbies played in recent years, Canterbury has won eight and Otago seven, with four draws.
Recent league form shows Canterbury unbeaten in its last five matches, and Otago the opposite with five losses.
"Our side are much less experienced than Canterbury, and stats certainly favour them," Murray said.
"But I am relying on plenty of ticker from our team when they pull on that Otago shirt and line up against the red and black.
"The first goal will be very important, and so will the controlled emotion of what is always a fiery derby match, hopefully cheered on by the Otago faithful who will travel up in numbers."
The referee is Peter O'Leary.
Tomorrow also marks the start of another Milk Cup venture, with the added twist that coach Neil Mackenzie has supervised the creation of a trust to handle the now-complicated campaign.
Football Otago Youth Development Academy Trust is the umbrella organisation which will handle the extensive training programmes for the cup and for its sister venture, the Otago under-15 trip to Singapore.
Mackenzie, still clutching the silver plate trophy won at the Milk Cup last year, said the trust would "pull together these major ventures, and gives them a cohesive symmetry that leads progressively from under-15 level, to the national youth league, and beyond".
The road to Northern Ireland and the Milk Cup starts at Tahuna Park at 11.30am tomorrow, when initial trial matches will be held.
Otago v Canterbury
Christchurch, tomorrow, 2pm
• Otago United: Oswaldo Rodriguez, Tristan Prattley (captain), Matt Joy, Morgan Day, Regan Coldicott, Seamus Ryder, Sam Mepham, Harley Rodeka, Matt Brook, Jose Cantillo, Peter Evans, Andrew Ridden, Craig Ferguson, James Watson, Aajay Cunningham.
• Canterbury: Tom Batty, Mark Johnston, Nick Wortelboer, Tom Schwarz, Darren White, Aaron Clapham, George Slefendorfas, Russell Kamo, Daniel Glozier, Josh Smith, Julyan Collett, Joe Murray, Cole Peverley, Calvin Opperman, Ken Yamamoto, Adam Highfield, Louie Bush.
