Cantebury assistant coach Tabai Matson says Otago will have learnt from its failed attempt to lift the Ranfurly Shield earlier in the season, and will be a dangerous opponent.
Canterbury has its first defence of the Shield of its new tenure against its southern rival in Christchurch on Saturday, and is coming off a disappointing performance, going down 19-17 to Bay of Plenty in Mt Maunganui last Saturday.
Matson, who has taken over as assistant coach of the Canterbury team from John Haggart this year, said Otago had the ideal dress rehearsal in its first challenge against Wellington in July.
"They will be much better for that.
"They would have realised there were a couple of little things which did not go their way in that match and that led to the result not going the way they wanted," he said.
"That is what shield rugby can come down to - just a couple of little things.
"Shield rugby is something special. The games go so quickly.
"Eighty minutes seems to take about eight minutes."
He said Otago would have "sharpened up their knives" and is expecting a side on its game.
Matson said Otago had ideal preparation with a rugged encounter against Auckland on Sunday.
"This is going to be the usual tough physical South Island encounter, and the Shield only add to that.
"We're expecting a massive impact from Otago at the collision area and at the set piece."
Matson played for Canterbury when it won the Shield in 1994 off Waikato, and defended it for more than a season, before losing it against Auckland.
The key to defend the Shield was in fact to not be defensive.
"One of the coaches back then said we had to go out every week and win it again.
"And that is what you have to do.
"Have an attacking mindset and bring out a performance that will be good enough to get across the line."
Matson said with the side coming off a great performance in lifting the Shield off Wellington it was always going to be tough against Bay of Plenty.
"We played so well with the performance against Wellington to lift the shield so anything after that was bound to be a come down."
Matson felt like most games these days it came back to not having the right attitude but he was confident it would be there this week.
Games in the Air New Zealand Cup were very even, he said, and teams had to be on top of their game, or were ripe for a loss.
Canterbury has successfully repelled seven challenges from Otago since Otago last held the shield in 1957.
