The acid will be on Wairarapa when they complete their regional super league netball commitments with a match against Northern United at Taita tonight.
Win and Wairarapa will either take the title outright or share it with Mana, lose and they could be in a three-way tie for second.
Coach Kelly Sargent
agrees the importance of the result will place extra pressure on Wairarapa but she is optimistic her players will rise to the challenge.
"Obviously everyone will be aware of the need to win, but hopefully it won't have any effect on how we play the game," she said. "It's important we don't get carried away by the occasion . We just have to treat it like any other match"
Wairarapa have lost just the one super league game and, interestingly enough, that was to Hutt Valley 2, a side which Northern United defeated by six goals.
The latter result has not been lost on Sargent, who predicts that Northern United will be as formidable an opponent as Wairarapa has met all competition.
"They (Northern United) are a young side who play with a lot of flair," she said. "They will probably look to run us off our feet."
Sargent is confident, however, that Wairarapa have the players capable of playing the game at pace.
In fact, she believes that the quicker the game the more likely it is that players like Emma Foote and Lisa Manihera will take control of the midcourt.
"We don't mind a free flowing game, it actually suits the way we play, she said.
For previous super league games Sargent has named her starting line-up midweek but with a number of combinations to consider she is leaving it until at hour or so before start time tonight
"Everybody has done their bit so far and that makes the selection process a bit of a headache," she said.
One squad member who won't be playing though is Cindy Cooper. She has a shoulder injury and is likely to be sidelined for some weeks.
Some interesting matches are scheduled in Netball Wairarapa's premier one interclub competition tomorrow.
Two of the unbeaten teams, Wairarapa College and All Blacks, will clash while Collegiate, who have also won two from two, take on defending champions St Matthew's, who have started the season with two losses.
Celtic Marist should have the edge on Hiona and Greytown likewise over Featherston.