These are desperate times.
And in these times, desperate men come forward.
The question tonight for the Otago players is whether they are good enough and whether they have enough desire to front up and beat Taranaki at Carisbrook.
Forget about the top seven, and who plays who and what and where next year.
This is about gaining credibility, about showing a sceptical Otago public this team does have some mongrel and muscle in it, and that its placing on the competition ladder - last - is false.
But to do that successfully, Otago must be totally accurate with all the basics, tackle like demons and nail every chance, no matter how slight.
Lying bottom of the table, the only way is up, and that rise can start tonight with a victory over a Taranaki side which is working its way into some good form.
Otago coach Phil Mooney has rung the changes, putting Ben Smith back to fullback and bringing in loose forward Brad Cameron to add some aggression to the pack.
Coupled with the inclusion of hard-running prop Halani Aulika, one would hope Otago is not going to die wondering tonight.
Mooney admits he had been replaying different incidents from last week's agonising loss to North Harbour in his head.
"You do look at the way things turned out from different aspects of the game. The encouraging thing is that we haven't been out of any game we've played. But we haven't played certain moments of games as well as we should have and that has cost us," he said.
"There is pressure, but there is pressure on 13 other coaches as well. That comes with being in a tough competition and it shouldn't be any other way."
Mooney said Otago was simply focusing on the next game and he was pleased with the hard work done by the side since the loss to North Harbour.
"One thing about this team that has really impressed me is the work ethic of the guys. They are wanting to put in the hard yards and spirits are still good."
Mooney said players realised they had not made the most of opportunities which had come along and just needed to nail them.
Taranaki would be a lively opponent, he said, and any team coached by Colin Cooper was bound to be confrontational in the forward pack and be more than ready.
Taranaki will be without speedy winger David Smith, who has failed to get over a hamstring injury, while prospective Highlanders forward Jarrad Hoeata is also out with a hamstring injury.
Taranaki has a no-frills side which does the basics well, and has a quality forward pack featuring the likes of flanker Scott Waldrom and lock James Broadhurst.
Otago simply has to retain its discipline throughout the game, and get rid of the sloppy errors which have been a millstone around its neck over the past few seasons.
Halfback Sean Romans and first five-eighth Glenn Dickson have been a mixed bag this season and need to start finding some form if Otago is to get its first win.
Look for Hayden Parker to get his first run for Otago if things are not going the home side's way.
The forecast for tonight is clear weather after drizzle this morning.
