Finals rematch set to feature stellar clashes
NORTH OTAGO and King Country have only met on a rugby field 11 times in 80 years, but they have been familiar foes in recent times.
Tomorrow’s Mitre 10 Heartland Championship game at Whitestone
Contracting Stadium is a rematch of the 2015 and 2016 Lochore Cup finals, both of which were held in Te Kuiti.
King Country won the 2015 final 4734, but North Otago turned the tables in the 2016 final, winning 4422.
It is almost exactly three years since the teams last met in Oamaru; King Country winning that game 1714.
Both have identical records (one win, two losses) to start the season, so both will be highly motivated to tuck away maximum points to avoid falling too far behind in the race for a place in the Meads Cup playoffs.
North Otago has played good rugby in patches, and could easily have been sitting at the top of the table with a 30 record.
The forward pack, bolstered by former captain Josh Clark and outstanding No8 Mika Mafi, has been on the front foot most of the time, and a developing backline guided by halfback Robbie Smith has shown real promise.
The crowd will keenly anticipate the battle between Smith and his opposite number, former All Black halfback Alby Mathewson.
A feature should also be the clash of the firstfives. Both Dan Lewis and Antini Brown have shown promise for the Old Golds, while Reece MacDonald is a rising star for King Country.
The curtainraiser is an under12 game between North Otago and Ellesmere.