It has been a rough few weeks for the Wakatipu Basin's premier grade rugby teams, with both Arrowtown and Wakatipu following up below-par performances last week with back-to-back losses in the Otago country-wide competition.
With duck-shooting taking precedence over rugby on Saturday, the second-round games were played under lights last Thursday night.
Arrowtown lost a spiteful Battle of the Gorge game against Cromwell, going down 18-13.
Arrowtown has had the wood on Cromwell for a number of years and should really have picked up the points here.
But Cromwell is well known for its spoiling, niggling style of play and certainly got the better of Arrowtown here.
Although the loss will hurt and questions will be asked, there is no time to dwell on what has been and gone if the team is to get its championship campaign back on track.
It plays South Otago side Heriot on Saturday, at Jack Reid Park in Arrowtown.
Meanwhile, Wakatipu will have to call on the services of past players and recruits from its reserves team, the Wanderers, if it is to field a competitive team against reigning Otago-wide champion Lawrence, in Lawrence on Saturday.
After being hit by the loss of players through either injury or unavailability, Wakatipu struggled last Thursday, going down 39-22 to Upper Clutha. And, although the Wanaka-based side has been playing reasonably well this year, the step up against Lawrence this week will be a massive one for Wakatipu.
Lawrence, with its close proximity to Dunedin, enjoys a wealth of talent and has been the team to beat for the past few years.
