Otago has rearranged its backline and made a couple of changes in the forward pack for its final game of the season against Counties-Manukau at Carisbrook tomorrow.
These three could never be accused of being bandwagon jumpers - not when one of them first went to Carisbrook in 1946.
Southland has it all to play for tonight but co-coach David Henderson will be happy if his side is not too excited about the match.
Ross Laidlaw has just been handed one of the biggest jobs in southern rugby. But the new Highlanders chairman tells rugby writer Steve Hepburn he would not have taken the job on if it had not been a challenge.
Injury worries have eased for Otago but it will have to find a new fullback and lock for its final hit-out of the season against Counties-Manukau at Carisbrook on Saturday.
Ross Laidlaw has been named as the new Highlanders chairman.
An excellent opening 40 minutes sealed what in the end was a comfortable win for Otago over Tasman at a wet and gloomy Carisbrook on Saturday.
There were a few surprises and not only in the names read out by All Black coach Graham Henry yesterday for the trip to Japan and Europe. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at the team and the moves away from the selection field.
Highlanders chairman Stuart McLauchlan is standing down from the position, denying he was pushed and saying he does not have enough time to dedicate to the role.
Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at the record of Otago and the Highlanders over the past couple of years and wonders why there are so many what-might-have-beens.
Otago coach Steve Martin says No 8 Paul Grant must be pushing for higher honours, after the South Otago product had a stand-out game against Tasman on Saturday.
A year ago, Kees Meeuws never thought he would bring up 50 games for Otago.
Tasman captain Andrew Goodman has not given up on his side making the semifinals of the Air New Zealand Cup, but it will have to break new territory if it wants to get there.
Otago's outside back resources are looking thin, with three players in doubt for Saturday's Air New Zealand Cup game against Tasman at Carisbrook.
Nine-plus months into the rugby season and Adam Thomson is showing no sign of slowing down; in fact, he is doing extra training sessions to keep his fitness up.
All Black loose forward Adam Thomson has been welcomed back into the Otago side and will pack down at No 8 against Taranaki in New Plymouth tomorrow night.
Highlanders captain Jimmy Cowan is believed to have pledged his loyalty to the southern franchise for another season, though there is no guarantee his team mate Jamie Mackintosh will do the same.
Carisbrook will host a test match against Wales next year and organisers are already planning for a sell-out.
Just what was needed. Otago bounced back from the disappointment of last weekend's loss to beat Bay of Plenty in an Air NZ Cup match at Carisbrook on Saturday night and restore some much-needed pride in the blue and gold jersey.
Cut out the silly little errors, and it will come. In a performance much better than last week, but unfortunately for Otago fans just not quite good enough, Otago slipped to a 35-20 loss to Waikato at Carisbrook on Saturday afternoon.
