Rugby: Victory crucial for southern sides

Otago will need to consider tactics against Canterbury at Carisbrook tonight if they are to bounce back from last week's NPC rugby loss to Auckland.

Otago and Canterbury are third-equal in the standings but the losers of tonight's game will be in danger of slipping out of the top four.

Wellington and North Harbour are hovering five points behind so the South Island derby is an important game for both teams.

Otago play Waikato and Wellington away in their last two matches, while Canterbury play Wellington at home and North Harbour away.

The Otago forwards showed plenty of commitment last week, but the backline tactics of running at a tough-tackling Auckland midfield defence were doomed to failure.

There has been much soul-searching in the Otago camp this week and coach Kevin Gloag said his players had learnt from the experience.

"We made some mistakes and they were clinical in the way they punished us," Gloag said.

"Canterbury, in some ways, are similar to Auckland. The success of their team has been built around a strong defence and it won't be easy to crack."

The return of fullback Hayden Reid from injury and the selection of Mathew Priscott at centre should give Otago more attacking options, but getting the ball wide quickly enough has been the problem.

Canterbury has not been without problems, either.

They are in the process of picking up the pieces after a shock 20-27 loss to Northland last week.

Aaron Flynn and Aaron Mauger form a new inside back combination. Leon MacDonald has reverted to fullback and captain Todd Blackadder will play on the blindside flank, with Chris Jack moving to lock.

Coach Robbie Deans said a lot of "hard slog" had gone in at training this week to erase memories of the loss in Whangarei. He said the defence, which conceded four tries to Northland, needed to be tighter, tougher and more accurate.

Given the forward exchanges, it could be that the game will be decided on which inside and midfield back combination makes most effective use of the ball.