Arrowtown had beaten Cromwell only once in their past 10 clashes, and only beat bottom-placed Matakanui by two points the previous week.
But, following their coach Jackson Wallace’s halftime "spray" of all sprays during that game, "we’ve jumped on a bit of momentum", captain Ryan Egerton says.
He was still sidelined with injury last Saturday, but says "you could definitely sense a different side in the warm-up".
"I was really happy with how we came out of the gates. We played with a bit more composure, we started to build a few phases, there weren’t as many mistakes as the last couple of matches, I think we just started to play more as a unit."
In winning 40-22, Egerton says he can’t recall Arrowtown putting as many points on Cromwell in his time.
A star was 130kg prop Joji Ravula, who scored two tries including a 20-metre dash for his first meat pie.
"I wasn’t expecting him in open pasture, but it’s a scene to be told to the grandkids," Egerton says.
"He’s already telling us it was 50m out, not 20m."
He says Arrowtown will still be underdogs in Wanaka tonight, "but we’ll have a crack".
"I’m hoping to be drinking out of the White Horse Cup in my mai mai down south this weekend."
Meanwhile, the Wakatipu Prems, who have a bye this weekend, beat Matakanui 40-12 in Omakau last weekend.
