Underdogs Marist and Ratana have arrived at today's Wanganui rugby semi-finals with nary a whiff of pressure on them – other than from their own club supporters, of course.
All the pressure, the weight of expectation, is on defending champion Ruapehu to head-off Marist at Ohakune and on competition favourite Wanganui Car City Kaierau to beat Ratana at the Kaierau Country Club.
But while it is conceivable that upsets could occur, we'll go for a favourites' final at Spriggens Park next week.
Ruapehu, though, will have to be a little careful with its individual discipline after captain Shaun McDonough and referee Murray O'Hara had "a chat or two" a couple of weeks ago when the team played Kaierau.
O'Hara is referee again today, and a man of extreme reasonableness, so he will treat Ruapehu as starting the day with a clean sheet.
But Ruapehu's camp is also aware, and has been trying to sort it out – because the loss of penalties or having players carded in a semi-final would be fatal.
Coach Buck Heron: "Murray is fine and Shaun and the lads have discussed this. We are all senior players and to be honest it was one of our letdowns against Kaierau.
"The boys took ownership for their attitude towards the referee and each other. We need to play clean hard rugby and we all need to do our jobs."
Where Ruapehu will look to gain an edge and play the dangerous Marist backs out of the equation is in the contact area, where the country boys have proven too strong twice so far this season.
The hard-nosed Ruapehu forwards – Ian and Peter Rowe, Sheldon O'Hagen, McDonough, and Andrew Evans foremost, look to have a little too much grunt and firepower for Marist.
Heron: "Age and experience versus youth should be the telling factor. I think our forward pack is more experienced than Marist and the two backlines are evenly matches."
Some may disagree on that last statement. Marist would appear to have the edge in sheer brilliance through Cameron Crowley, Sam Scown and Andy Hamilton in the threequarters and some canny inside play from Honi Peeti alongside the strong five-eighths Steelie Koro.
So it will come down to the weather (rain anticipated) and the forward scrap.
Whgatever happens, Marist coach Karl Hoskin feels his team has surpassed itself.
"We've come a long way. The team's progressed really well and I feel we've earnt our place in the semis."
Down the road, back in Wanganui, the conditions should be at least a little better and suit Kaierau's free-flowing approach.
That won't change, says coach red Morris.
"You have to score points – and you have to defend."
It seems like Kaierau will score somewhere near 30 points going on past performance – can Ratana do better?
That's the big point facing the Ratana side which has trailed Kaierau 40-17.5 in the two games.
Ratana has recently move Nehemia Christian back to fullback and for this game have introduced a new winger in Lenny Bridger in an effort to smarten the attack.
The forward battle looks reasonably close, with some gnarly Ratana veterans and a mix of the younger like the promising Pita Marshall.
But the return of big men Lasa Ulukata and Nemia Adrole will boost Kaierau's firepower.
Good friends Denning Tyrell (Kaierau) and Leon Mason (Ratana) captain and playmake for both sides.
Whoever gets the best service could win this game. Both packs look good, the only query about Kaierau is how effective usual dynamic openside Darren Munro will be with an ankle problem.
At this point it looks like Kaierau to make the final, all things being equal.
But not without a decent battle.
Pressure on as favourites face tests
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.