Although the season has just begun and Otago has played only the two games, the side needs to start winning. It has fallen to narrow losses to North Harbour and Canterbury and although it played well in patches, probably did not do enough to win either match.
The Mitre 10 Cup is a short competition — just 10 games — and teams need to get up to speed quickly and put the wins on the board.
Otago has bagged three bonus points from its opening two games so has at least something to show for its efforts.
It now faces Manawatu, a Championship side, at Forsyth Barr Stadium this afternoon.
Manawatu is a quality side with a rugged set of forwards and some enterprise in its backs.
In fact, only one of its backs — left winger Ambrose Curtis — has not played Super Rugby.
It has the added bonus of All Black backs Ngani Laumape and Nehe Milner-Skudder in its side today.
Otago coach Cory Brown said the side had recovered well from the Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury and was looking forward to having its first game at home.
"I was really proud of the effort we put in there [against Canterbury]. But that has gone and now we are back at home for the first time," he said.
"We have a couple of our guys, Aki [Seiuli] and Sam [Anderson-Heather] playing their 50th games for Otago. That is a huge occasion for those guys and the team wants to honour it really well."
The front rowers will want to lead Otago to victory and if they can get over the top of the Manawaru tight five, Otago can dominate territory.
Brown said it would be good to come back under the roof and it would guarantee good conditions, enabling the side to get its up tempo game under way.
Otago need to hold on to the ball and use the space which is easier to find in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Ball control is vital at this level and Brown said his side needed to control the restarts better.
The team also needed to be a bit quicker to get set on both attack and defence.Manawatu has some battle-hardened forwards in the likes of Jackson Hemopo and Nick Crosswell who will not be slow to physically impose themselves in the game.
Otago’s ace card is in its loose forwards with Dillon Hunt, James Lentjes and Adam Knight a quality trio, who are never far from the ball.
That gives the opportunity to the Otago backline, who will enjoy being back on the dry track.
Otago first five-eighth Josh Ioane has looked at home at this level and will get another test today when he comes up against the highly rated Otere Black.
Canterbury official James Munro will referee the game. . Munro, who is no relation of former top referee Vinny Munro, is making his debut at this level.
The game was to be preceded by the annual schoolboy marchpast but it has been canned, as the junior season finished in the middle of last month.
Otago v Manawatu
Forsyth Barr Stadium, today, 2.35pm
Otago: Vilimoni Koroi, Mitchell Scott, Sio Tomkinson, Tei Walden, Jona Nareki, Josh Ioane, Jonathan Ruru, Adam Knight, James Lentjes, Dillon Hunt, Josh Dickson, Josh Furno, Hisa Sasagi, Sam Anderson-Heather (captain), Aki Seiuli. Reserves: Sekonaia Pole, Craig Millar, Donald Brighouse, Tom Rowe, Sione Teu, Josh Renton, Fletcher Smith, Leroy van Dam.
Manawatu: Kurt Baker, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Hamish Northcott, Ngani Laumape, Ambrose Curtis, Otere Black, Kayne Hammington, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis (captain), Antonio Kiri Kiri, Nick Crosswell, Jackson Hemopo, Tom Parsons, Michael Alaalatoa, Hunter Prescott, Fraser Armstrong. Reserves: Tim Cadwallader, Tuki Raimona, Sean Paranihi, Liam Hallam-Eames, Brice Henderson, Jamie Booth, Jade Te Rure, Lewis Marshall.