Oamaru will be a town divided today.
The much-anticipated annual First XV fixture between Waitaki Boys’ and St Kevin’s at Whitestone Contracting Stadium will reignite a rivalry that has flourished for more than 70 years.
Waitaki Boys’ won the Blood Match 21-19 last year and also recorded a 41-13 victory during an Otago Schools Rugby Championship match this season.
That will be enough to install Waitaki as the favourite.
But St Kevin’s posted a record 56-15 win in 2020 and that left a lasting bruise on the psyche of the Waitaki faithful.
The game kicks off at 1.30pm.
It is a quiet weekend for the schools competition. King’s will host Dunstan in a division 1 game and will be looking to build on some promising form.
King’s beat Southland Boys’ 33-18 last weekend and shape as likely finalists.
On Tuesday, Christchurch Boys’ beat Otago Boys’ 32-26 in an annual interschool.
Otago Boys’ are struggling this season. They have lost their last three competition games and have also lost interschool matches against Christ’s College and Timaru Boys’.
John McGlashan, however, is enjoying a rollicking season. It dispatched Timaru Boys’ 45-0 during its interschool on Tuesday.
McGlashan is also unbeaten in the championship this season.
