First five Maia Joseph has the game off.
She has been away at a New Zealand sevens camp and is still making her way back to full fitness post knee surgery, so coach Craig Sneddon has opted to rest her.
Veteran fullback Sheree Hume will be shuffled into first five in Joseph’s absence and Charlotte Va’afusuaga will make her debut.
Va’afusuaga is a year 12 pupil at St Hilda’s Collegiate and was brought into the squad as an apprentice. The fullback has been dynamic at schoolgirl level and gets her opportunity.
"She has impressed us so much we can’t really leave her out. She is fast, powerful and makes good decisions, so we’re excited to see her get out there ..."
Rebekah Wairau, Ella Gomez and Lucy Hall have all come on to the bench in the only other changes to the game-day 23.
Prop Eilis Doyle and midfielder Keely Hill will be playing their blazer game.
The Spirit edged Tasman 34-28 in Nelson last weekend. Replacement back Oceana Campbell scored a try in the final minute to help clinch the win.
The set piece proved a challenge for the Spirit and they will need more out of it this week.
Wairau and Gomez should help with that. They are returning after lengthy injury breaks and will be on limited minutes.
Sneddon accepted the side laboured in the contact area against a bigger Tasman pack. But he was happy with the effort and wants his side to trust the game plan.
"We were reasonably happy with our attack but need to get a little bit better in those contact spaces. But, really, I just want more of the same. Back our skills, back the game plan and just be slightly more accurate."
The Otago Spirit development team will be playing the curtain-raiser against Canterbury development at noon.
