That’s the scenario in Queenstown this Saturday when Arrowtown challenge for the cup after the Wakatipu Premiers took it off Upper Clutha in their last game two weeks ago.
Arrowtown are in the rare position of having two challenges this season, however they squandered their first one, losing 50-0 to Upper Clutha under lights in Wanaka early last month.
"I don’t know if we deserve two goes at it, the way we played over in Wanaka, but we’ll definitely give it a go this weekend," Arrowtown captain Ryan Egerton says.
Arrowtown’s only won three of their first eight games this season, including a first-round 27-19 home loss to Wakatipu.
However, the last time they crossed the Shotover River to play them, in April last year, they won 22-15.
A last-minute try to fullback Blair Foster won them that game, soon after which he headed overseas.
In good news, he’s just returned and played a big hand in his first game back two weeks ago.
"His boot and his running game is something we’ve been lacking for the first half of the season," Egerton says.
Meanwhile, Waka coach Jordan Manihera, whose side’s only lost once this season, is sure Arrowtown will grow an arm and a leg for Saturday’s fixture.
"The thing about the Battle of the Basin, it’s always played at finals footy intensity, and we’re not focused at all on how Arrowtown’s results have been.
"We’re just focused on what we can control, and that’s playing good, smart footy.
"It should be a cracker of a match.
"We’re not aiming to move that cup out of the cabinet — we’re pretty motivated to lock that away for the summer."
