Kieran Fowler has played at fullback for Pirates in the past four years, but said he was not prepared to give up public holidays and some week days to play club rugby when he wanted to spend that time with his family.
''With moving games to public holidays and some week days I have chosen not to play this year as I have a young family. Being a working man I work so I can enjoy public holidays with my family, not to play rugby,'' he said.
Fowler, who has also been a nationally ranked discus thrower, said he did not want to use annual leave to play club rugby.
The club season is played over two full rounds, and started last Thursday afternoon, so players could have Easter off. The next game is this Saturday.
Games will also be played on Anzac Day, then the following Sunday (April 28), May 31 (Friday) and June 3, the last two days centred around Queen's Birthday weekend.
Fowler said games played during the week were fine for a student.
''But us people that work hard are tired by the end of the day. The last thing we want to do is go play a game of rugby at 4pm. I'm sure all the builders, plumbers, and others would agree with me. Rugby is a Saturday game.''
He felt the old format of having a full round-robin preceded by five games, when the teams were split into two sections, would be better than having to fit two full rounds into the playing calendar.
Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said the playing dates were set by the Metropolitan rugby committee.
The committee consulted heavily with clubs and three or four options were put to them before a decision was made.
The season had to be finished two weeks before the start of the ITM Cup season.
''It was not a decision taken easily. There was a lot of discussion that took place and we tried to find something that worked fine with everyone,'' Kinley said.
Kinley said it was disappointing to hear of players not playing but he understood why they decided to put family before rugby.
The final of the club rugby season is on July 27. Otago will begin its ITM Cup campaign against Bay of Plenty on August 18.
