Rugby: Playoffs in mind

The pencils are blunt, the calculators have run out of batteries and the only answer to the equation is to win - by scoring four tries if you can - and hope your rivals lose in the penultimate round before playoffs.

The competition at the top of this year's Southern Districts Premier Rugby League can only be described as epic, with the only near-certain result, Wellsford will finish up as the round robin champions.

And even that's not a safe bet.

Wellsford need a win over wooden-spooners Otamatea to claim the top spot with a round remaining but unfortunately for them, they face the closest thing to a derby match they have and to make it worse - the match is in Kaiwaka.

While a win is no certainty, given their form this season, you would still have to back them to get the victory.

Their outlook is definitely clearer than that of the other teams hoping to feature in the playoffs.

Mid Western have secured a semifinal berth but they host Old Boys, one of the four teams still scrapping for the final playoff spot. And Mid Western know that if they falter, they will hand Mid Northern the home advantage in the semifinals.

Mid Northern, in their hunt for home seeding, host former frontrunners Marist who currently sit in fourth.

Kamo, in fifth, will be cheering on Mid Northern as they take on the Western Sharks in Dargaville.

Of all the teams chasing the playoffs, Hora Hora need to make up the biggest margin. They will target maximum points when Hikurangi visit tomorrow but the red and blacks will be harder to subdue after recording a morale boosting win last week.