We can be mates again next week.
That was how Southland co-coach Matt Saunders summed up Saturday’s NPC derby.
Saunders played 37 games for Otago and 38 for Southland. He has a foot firmly in both camps.
But this week his job is to lead the Stags to victory over Otago.
They are hosting their "greatest rival" in Invercargill on Saturday.
"The way I see it is we can be enemies this week and friends again next week," he said.
"We want teams from down here to do well, and we can help each other out."
Just not this week.
For the Whaanga and Taylor brothers, it is another opportunity to secure family bragging rights.
The teams are not announced until this afternoon. But Matt Whaanga may well start in the midfield for Southland, and Josh Whaanga is likely to start on the wing for Otago.
Stags hooker Jack Taylor and Otago openside Harry Taylor may end up on the field at the same time as well.
The weather is expected to be nice and it is Stag Day, so the Southland fans should be out in force.
Saunders said one of the challenges was not to let the hype get to them this week.
The preseason offered up a reality check in that sense.
Southland lost both warm-up games. They were outclassed 36-7 by a tidy Tasman unit in Christchurch last week and were earlier beaten 33-24 by Otago in Gore.
The Stags led Otago at halftime but some nifty work by star Otago outside back Jona Nareki turned the game in favour of the visitors.
Saunders said he expected Otago would look to get the ball to the classy winger as much as possible.
He also expects a willing battle up front. Otago have real depth in the front row and that shapes as an area of strength for them.
Saunders confirmed prop Joe Walsh and first five Jake Strachan would miss the opening game with leg injuries.
Former Otago openside Sean Withy transferred to his native Southland this year and he has quietly been going about his work.
He was named captain and will be joined in the loose by under-rated blindside Blair Ryall, while Dylan Nel and Semisi Tupou-Ta’eiloa will compete for starts at No 8 this season.
Nel had a stint in Otago and his line-breaking qualities are well known, while Tupou-Ta’eiloa was a schoolboy star for Otago Boys’ but was lured south on a four-year deal.
