With the Meads and Lochore Cup semifinal spots still in the melting pot there will be a ton of interest in the seventh and penultimate round of Heartland qualifying rugby matches on Saturday.
Defending champions Wanganui (Meads Cup) and Poverty Bay (Lochore Cup) are in the equation to retain their titles but need victories.
Steelform Wanganui host Buller, who have four wins from six matches, including a 45-32 away win over South Canterbury.
Buller may have won only twice in nine visits to Wanganui but have one of the most experienced packs in the competition, including match centurions Luke Brownlee and Phil Beveridge, 2011 NZ Heartland rep halfback Andrew Stephens and lively William Saukuru and Peni Nabainivalu in the three-quarters.
After an impressive 39-22 home win against North Otago last weekend, Wanganui have drawn level with Wairarapa-Bush at the top of the table. Scoring seven tries and collecting a vital bonus point now gives Wanganui the advantage over Wairarapa-Bush, who could only muster three tries against King Country.
Hosting rights for semis and the final depends on who beat who in qualifying and Wanganui's 26-19 win at Masterton in round four has become invaluable.
After a 25-15 away win over King last Saturday Wairarapa will be aiming for four tries this weekend but could find hot and cold North Otago troublesome.
Fortunately for the Stags, the game is being played in Masterton where Wairarapa have won three of four close Heartland games against the Old Golds.
North Otago, however, won 29-20 on the last visit to Masterton in 2010 and also beat Wairarapa 30-13 in the 2007 Lochore Cup final in Oamaru.
With leading Heartland points scorer Glen Walters (Wellington loan player), who has 102 this season, Wairarapa-Bush could possess a trump card.
After the recent scalping of Wanganui, East Coast will be seeking a first Heartland win over King Country and the prospects are bright in Ruatoria.
The ultra staunch Ngati Porou faithful will be out in force around Whakarua Park on Saturday. Buller, East Coast and South Canterbury are only a point adrift of Wanganui and Wairarapa.
Thames Valley and Poverty Bay look evenly poised at Paeroa, South Canterbury appear too strong for West Coast in Greymouth while unpredictable Mid Canterbury are home to Horowhenua-Kapiti.