Otago has been hit by some notable defections over the off-season and has lost some key players from its team last year which made the ITM Cup championship semifinals.
Last year's captain, Paul Grant, has signed a deal with French club Montpellier, while fellow loose forward Gareth Evans, who was named player of the year last year, has signed with Hawkes Bay.
Earlier this month, livewire outside back Buxton Popoali'i announced his retirement due to medical advice after heart surgery.
Lock Tom Donnelly is another doubtful starter.
Otago assistant coach Phil Young said the side had lost some key players and their experience would not be easily substituted.
But those losses would not change the approach taken by coaches Tony Brown and Young.
''We are still going to be looking at club rugby and picking our players through there. If players want to make an impact and want to get into the picture then the best they can do is make an impact at club rugby,'' Young said.
''If players do want to come down here then we simply say to them they need to come down and play in club rugby and make an impact that way.
''Those guys who have left are going to be pretty hard to replace. But there are guys around who we're pretty confident can step into their shoes.''
Grant was the skipper of the side last year and had played more than 50 games for Otago and will not be easy to replace, both as a player and captain.
Young said a couple of players were in line for the captaincy, but he was keeping that under his hat at the moment.
A lot depended on players playing well in the club season.
Captaincy candidates include hooker Liam Coltman and loose forward Lee Allan.
Young said player agents were always in touch over players coming to the province, but the message from the Otago coaching management was always the same - come down and play club rugby and play well to win selection.
An Otago squad had started training before Christmas and was now doing work out on the field one day a week, along with strength and conditioning work.
Pirates winger Marshall Suckling was working in Christchurch but was still recovering from a knee injury, which he picked up at the start of last year's representative season.
If he makes a full recovery he will be available for Otago again, as he is contracted to the union for the coming season.
