Those who did not make the Otago squad have not been forgotten.
With 37 players named for Otago Mitre 10 Cup squad there is room for plenty of players.
But Otago used more than 50 players last season, although it played a couple of games early in its season in Ranfurly Shield defences.
The Otago Mitre 10 Cup side, though, wants to have some back-up players who are still match fit and ready to come into the squad.
Traditionally an Otago development team — or Otago B as it used to be known — programme has been run after the club season concludes, while in recent years an Otago under-19 team has played in a national competition.
But New Zealand Rugby announced in the early stages of Alert Level 4 in late March it had canned representative rugby below Mitre 10 Cup.
The main South Island unions, Canterbury, Southland and Otago, have been talking and want to play during a four-week window after the end of club rugby in Dunedin on September 19. It is also before the start of university exams so it would not impact on too many players.
Otago Rugby Football Union player development manager Paul Galland said it was vital players for the development side continued playing for a while after the club season finished as they needed to be ready should they be called into the first-class scene.
Players eligible for the under-19 side will also get the chance to play as NZ Rugby looks ahead to the NZ under-20 side if it is needed for next year’s world junior championships. It wants footage to look at prospective players for next year.
The final dates and venues had yet to be decided but the three unions were keen. Otago’s development side and Otago under-19 may play each other in a game.
Under-18 and under-16 South Island tournaments will not be played, although the Highlanders will still hold an abbreviated version of its age grade training camp.
Meanwhile the Mitre 10 Cup is all set to kick off as scheduled. All 14 unions committed to the competition during a conference call earlier this week.
The three unions based in the Auckand region were happy to go ahead despite not being able to train together at the moment.
Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said the union had not budgeted for gate income as at the time budgets were being done no rugby was being played.
The situation was constantly changing.