There is more than just provincial bragging rights at stake when Otago plays Southland in the local derby in Invercargill today.
Both sides need to win to avoid the relegation zone and stay in the hunt for the semifinals.
The southern teams have fashioned a 50-50 record after two matches in the first division and sit on four points in fourth and fifth spots.
North is undefeated and leads the competition with eight points from Auckland Waitakere and Western with five points apiece.
Waikato trails the pack with a single bonus point following a narrow loss to Western last week.
The teams which finish fifth and sixth after the round robin play off to determine who will play in the promotion-relegation match with the winner of division two while the top four sides will contest the semifinals.
"It is definitely a do or die game for us," Otago coach Georgie Salter said.
"We need to establish ourselves in the top four and a win will go a long way towards that."
Salter has installed Southland as favourite because it had a confidence-boasting win over Auckland Waitakere in round one and is on its home court for the crucial fixture.
Otago's build-up has also been hampered this week with four players on duty with New Zealand under-21.
The talented foursome of Jess Moulds, Hannah Broederlow, Jaimee Power and Camilla Lees will return for the vital game.
But after a tough campaign with the national side whether or not they return in good shape for the clash remains unanswered, Salter said.
Not having them at practice this week has not done the squad any favours either but Salter said the team had been working hard to compensate.
"When these girls come back in I'm hoping I can use them in quarters. So it will be a very different game."
Southland's Hayley Crofts is also on duty with the national under-21 team but coach Natalie Avellino has had the luxury of having the bulk of her squad available for training.
"I think we are coming together nicely and some of our players probably didn't perform at their best last week . . . but I'm very confident that we will be able to come away with the win," Avellino said.
The match also serves as a pseudo Southern Steel trial.
For many of the younger players it is an opportunity to get one up on the ANZ Championship players in both squads.
For Otago, shooter Jess Tuki and midcourters Debbie White and Phillipa Finch will be crucial in helping ease the under-21 players back into the side. For Southland, Steel trio Wendy Telfer, Julianna Naoupu and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit shape as key players with the coach, Avellino, likely to take the court if it gets close in the dying stages.
