Teams named - see end of story.
Call it an inspired piece of scheduling.
By pairing these two rivals, separated by a steel span, in week one, the administrators of the domestic rugby competition have given this match the sort of relevancy it was missing in 2009.
On that occasion both sides had marked themselves down as
national provincial championship also-rans by round eight.
Mark Anscombe's Auckland had recorded four wins and three losses and that was only because they had eked out a last-minute victory the previous week against Manawatu, while Craig Dowd's Harbour went to Eden Park with one win and six losses to their name.
The underdogs won 16-14 in a close encounter of the turgid kind.
Sunday's afternoon encounter at least holds the promise of being the start of something big for whoever wins.
The smart money is on Auckland, who have done work during the off season to shore up some weaknesses, particularly at halfback, first five-eighths and flanker, while Craig Dowd's recruitment ambitions have been hamstrung somewhat by a lack of funds.
Dowd, you'd imagine, is finding himself in unfamiliar territory. As a player he was part of an Auckland union that churned out talent like a Henry Ford production line.
He also spent considerable time at Wasps where the words "budget" and "constraints" were rarely paired. He now finds himself as the front man for a union that is rich in neither talent nor dollars.
At least the glass is still half full.
"We made an investment in some young guys last year," Dowd said.
"It would not have made sense to go through that process, let those guys develop for 12 months and then [recruit guys to replace them].
"They'll all be better for it. Some of them got Super 14 contracts and places in wider training groups. They come back to us now more experienced and a year older and ready for a better campaign."
One of those better for the experience is prop Ben Afeaki. A big lump of a lad and little else this time last last year he has already emerged as the cornerstone of the Harbour pack.
He was nursing some sore ribs after last week's high-attrition "friendly" against Counties Manukau, but Dowd hopes to name Afeaki this morning.
"All of a sudden people are talking about him. This time last year, yes, he was a good player, but now he's someone who is going into this campaign pushing to get on to the All Black tour at the end of the year."
If All Black selection is a tangible target for Afeaki, Harbour's targets are not quite so clearly defined.
"It's a big year and while it's tempting to say we want to finish in the top seven our target is a little higher than that," Dowd said. From next season the ITM Cup will be split into a top and bottom seven.
"We're probably a little more ambitious. I don't like going into any competition and not having a crack at the main prize, but you've got to take it one step at a time and the first goal is to make it into that top seven."
Anscombe is on record as saying a semifinal spot is the very least a union like Auckland should aspire to.
On Sunday afternoon we should get some idea who is for real and who is dreaming.
TEAMS
Auckland:
1. Tevita Mailau, 2. Tom McCartney, 3. Charlie Faumuina, 4. Kurtis Haiu, 5. Andrew Van der Heijden, 6. Onosa'i Auva'a, 7. Daniel Braid, 8. Peter Saili, 9. Toby Morland, 10. Ash Moeke, 11. Chay Raui, 12. Jamie Helleur, 13. Ben Atiga, 14. Atieli Pakalani, 15. Brent Ward, 16. Ash Dixon, 17. Pauliasi Manu, 18. Liaki Moli, 19. Chris Lowrey, 20. Brenton Helleur, 21. Matt Berquist, 22. Dave Thomas.
North Harbour:
1. Michael Reid, 2. James Parsons, 3. Ben Afeaki, 4. Matt Luamanu, 5. Shane Neville, 6. Tom Chamberlain, 7. Scott Uren, 8. Richard Mayhew, 9. Grayson Hart, 10. Michael Harris, 11. Alipate Fatafehi, 12. Luke McAlister, 13. Brendon Watt, 14. Ken Pisi, 15. Jack McPhee, 16. Mike Mayhew, 17. Taione Vea, 18. William Whetton, 19. Malakai Ravulo, 20. Nalu Tuigamala, 21. Ben Botica, 22. Jack Tarrant.
