Otago and Southland will renew their rivalry in a so-called friendly in Invercargill on Sunday.
It has been two years since the provinces last did battle and they had to settle for a draw on that occasion. Otago won nine of the 17 events but the total score was tied at 77 matches each.
Dunedin table tennis coach, player and organiser Ben Duffy said both associations had been investing in youth and it would be an interesting match-up.
''They've put quite a lot of work into their junior development and Otago have been doing the same thing,'' he said.
Duffy will be joined by Bryan Foster and Andrew Marr in the A grade team.
''I don't know what the Southland [A-grade] team is going to be. Otago has had the same team for many years.
''Bryan Foster is in his 70s. He's an ex-New Zealand singles champion and making a big comeback for the world vets champs in Auckland in 2015.''
Also coming up is the A grade interclub final. That will be held at the Edgar Centre on Monday and it is between Duffy, Marr and Luke Johnston, of the 38mm club, and Metro Blue's John Fogarty, Dyna Seng and Yvonne Fogarty.
Sawyers Bay won the B grade and the C grade will be decided the following week.
The national championships are in Christchurch in early October. Otago will send two men's teams and a women's team. The men's No1 team hopes to qualify for the top grade and has been bolstered by the arrival of Jesper Villadsen, from Denmark, and the expected arrival of Mirek Janca, of the Czech Republic.
''I expect us to hold our own in the A grade but I'm not expecting us to win or anything like that,'' Duffy said.
''But we will certainly put up a challenge to most teams. Mirek had not played for five months and turned up to a tournament in Christchurch and lost in seven to the New Zealand No1. He is pretty handy.''
