Heading into the final round of Southland premier club rugby, the points table is tight.
The unbeaten Pirates Old Boys team has already booked its home ground semifinal, while four clubs are in contention for the other three spots in the Galbraith Shield finals.
Blues, Woodlands and Marist are each on 15 competition points, while Star is on 10.
Only the Eastern Northern Barbarians are out of contention on nine points with one round still to play.
To finish the round ahead of Marist, Star needs a four-try bonus-point win and to deny Marist any competition points at Oreti Park tomorrow.
Star manager Andrew McHugh said the team was treating it as a quarterfinal.
“It is a big ask, but we require nothing less than a four-try bonus-point win.”
If Marist loses but still earns a bonus point, Star could still finish ahead of Blues and Woodlands if they do not earn any competition points in their matches.
Woodlands will take on Barbarians on Les George Oval, while Blues will play Pirates Old Boys at Balmoral Drive.
In division one’s Ack Soper Shield competition, the four finalists are already known. Who will host the semifinals is still undecided.
Midlands can finish top if it wins in Riversdale tomorrow. Wyndham, Waikaka and Edendale are the other three finalists.
Riversdale ended Waikaka’s nine-match winning streak last week but it is out of contention, along with Tokanui.
Tokanui is hosting Waikaka tomorrow. Campbell ‘‘Skinny’’ McIntosh will be playing his 100th game for Waikaka.
- John Langford
