The Sassenachs will face the Spartans from Southland in a game more to do with testing combinations and getting a game under the belt than the result.
With the club season being extended by one week, this game does not include any players from the four sides involved in the club semifinals this afternoon.
Players who are involved in Super Rugby are also unavailable so that leaves very few players from last year’s Otago side able to front.
No-one who played in the Mitre 10 Cup Championship final for Otago will front and, in the starting side, only lock Tom Rowe and No8 Sione Teu have played for Otago.
Veteran hooker Peter Mirrielees is filling a spot on the bench but there are plenty of youngsters in team.
Sevens exponent Vilimoni Koroi will start at fullback and he is joined on the wing by Alhambra-Union team-mate Jona Nareki. Irishman Ciaran Gaffney is on the right wing with youngsters Josh Timu and Matt Whaanga in the midfield.
Taylor Haugh, who has plenty of versatility in his game, will play in the No10 jersey for the Sassenachs. Taieri youngster Josh Brown gets a chance on the openside flank.
Clyde-Earnscleugh lock Keegan O’Donnell will get to fly the country flag and will partner Rowe in the locking positions.
The University side provides the front row.
Italian import Josh Furno will start off the bench and is expected to get some time on the field.Southland had its club final last week and will field a few more first-class players.
Former Dunedin club first five-eighth Greg Dyer will line up for the Spartans team and inside him will be young halfback Liam Howley. Howley was one of the more promising halfbacks in the country but missed all of last season because of a knee injury.
Tupou Sopoaga, brother of Highlanders first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga, will start at first five-eighth for the side.
Former Highlanders winger Ryan Tongia has signed for Southland this season from French club rugby but he will not line up tomorrow.
Aleki Morris, who played for Harbour up until the middle of last year, will come off the bench for the Spartans.
Otago and Southland will meet in another pre-season encounter in Gore on August 4.
Sassenachs v Spartans
Kettle Park, tomorrow, 2pm
Sassenachs: Vilimoni Koroi, Ciaran Gaffney, Josh Timu, Matt Whaanga, Jona Nareki, Taylor Haugh, Kurt Hammer, Sione Teu, Josh Brown, Jack Wolfreys, Keegan O’Donnell, Tom Rowe, Angus Williams, Ricky Jackson, Callum Hardie. Reserves: Corrie Barrett, Peter Mirrielees, Tim Tawaketini, Richard Te Nahu, Josh Furno, Eli Tonga, Sam Dickson, Connor McLeod, Thomas Johnson, Legin Felix-Hotham, Adam Simpson.
Spartans: Lewis Ormond, Mike Molloy, Nerai Fomai, James Schrader, Conrad Quick, Greg Dyer, Liam Howley, Bill Fukofuka, Tupou Sopoaga, Jordan Stewart, Ray Tatafu, Jack Capil, Morgan Mitchell, Sam Stewart, Joseph Walsh. Reserves: Ryan Carter, Reuben Northover, Shaun Stoddart, Brent Howden, Anton Huisman, Brandon Rodger, Jay Renton, Fale Iosefa, Aleki Morris.
Referee: Jono Bredin