David Smart was in the Dunedin team that won in 2009 and Charlie O'Connell captained Taieri last year.
Smart believes his side can win if it plays well. "Taieri will be trying to get on top of us in the forwards and then use their big backs.
"If we find a way to slow their backs down and keep key players out of the game we have got a chance."
Dunedin has the advantage in the forwards, especially with its strong scrum.
"We have to make sure we don't get complacent.
"It is a final and there will be a lot of emotions running," Smart said.
Smart (22), an environmental management student at the University of Otago, spent two years in the Tauranga Boys' High School First XV and played for Bay of Plenty age-group teams before coming to Dunedin.
O'Connell (25), a salesman for Speight's Breweries, is chasing back-to-back titles.
"There is more pressure on us when we are defending the banner.
"Other teams have been buoyed to try and knock us off," O'Connell said.
"We've had to get up each week knowing we were in for a tough game."
There are some interesting links between the two clubs.
O'Connell is the grandson of Maurice Kerr, who was the fullback in the Dunedin team that won the banner in 1951 and later became club coach, president and a life member.
His grandmother, Joyce Kerr, will be watching the game.
"She will be backing Taieri," O'Connell said.
"My grandfather would turn in his grave if he knew."
O'Connell is also a cousin of former Otago representative Matt O'Connell, who was in the Dunedin team that won the banner when it beat University A 23-22 in 1998.
Taieri coach Jason Macdonald has an affiliation to both clubs.
He captained Dunedin when it beat University A 19-12 to win the banner in 2005.
He joined Taieri when it regained premier status in 2009 and became the coach this year.
Taieri openside flanker Nathan Young played for Dunedin when the Taieri club was out of premier ranks for eight years.
Dunedin won its first banner in 1985 and has now won 10 championship titles.
The last one was in 2009.
Taieri won its first banner in 1955, when it shared the championship trophy with University A.
The Taieri club has hired four buses to transport fans from Mosgiel.
A crowd of more than 4000 is expected at the game.
Dunedin v Taieri
Road to the final
Taieri: Played 19 games, won 18, lost one. Points for 569, points against 303.
Dunedin: Played 19, won 14, drawn one, lost four. Points for 655, points against 373.
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Time: 3pm.
Dunedin: Liam Edwards, Pera Gibbs, Tumua Ioane, Kai Daniel, Ashton Tuck, Jesse Toto, Brad Weber, Gareth Evans, Hugh Blake, Mitchell Zandstra, Mark Grieve-Dunn, Sam Poole, Kelsey Miller, Sam Anderson-Heather, David Smart (captain). Reserves: Daniel Cairns, Chris King, Richard Thompson, Tom Verdonk, Fraser Lau, Laupepa Karalus, Sep Masoe.
Taieri: Kori Rupene, Kieran Moffat, Michael Collins, Ben Nowell, Shannon Young, Hayden Parker, Ryan Hammer, Charlie O'Connell (captain), Nathan Young, Willis Scott, Kurt Webster, Karl Bloxham, Aki Seiuli, Will Hurst, Dean Collins. Reserves: Henry Parker, Brett Anderson, Justin Ives, Ethan Hamilton, Andrew Reid, Nick Roulston, Kurt Schroder.
