Going against the trend of playing only one game a week while on the road, Otago Country will play three games in eight days on a short domestic tour in early August.
Team coach Dave Latta said had been on the drawing board for a few years and the Otago Country Rugby board had decided to proceed with it and underwrite it at a cost estimated at $35,000.
The side will fly to Wellington and be based in the capital. It will play Wairarapa Bush, in Masterton, then Horowhenua-Kapiti, in Levin, before travelling to Oamaru to play North Otago. One reason for the tour, Latta said, was to encourage players to commit to country rugby.
He said players no longer experienced touring and getting to know their team-mates.
The former Otago hooker said he was happy with the standard of rugby on display in country rugby and he wanted his players to have the chance of facing tougher opposition.
The tour would give his side an idea of the standard of rugby needed to compete in the Heartland Championship.
The squad of 25 would not be picked until the middle of next month, Latta said.
The team would bus to the games in Masterton and Levin, and he hoped the players could also visit Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
There had been talk of Otago Country entering a team in the Heartland Championship but country board chairman Colin Walker said with the New Zealand Rugby Union looking at changing provincial competition formats, those thoughts were on hold.
The team would play games against other South Island country sides after the tour.
He said fundraising had begun, and the board had enough funds in reserve to underwrite the tour.
A raffle before Christmas had raised $5000, and Walker said other fundraising ideas were being considered.
The board would also apply to funding trusts, and clubs had been asked to come up with ways of raising money, which could be split, with some going to the club and the rest to help fund the tour.
He said a recent Lawrence club function had raised $800 for the tour.
Walker said it was the first tour for an Otago country team in about 10 years.
There had been thoughts of going to Australia, but it was decided that Wellington was a cheaper option.
Country rugby was in good heart, he said, with a senior B competition added this year and country school teams performing well in the Highlanders First XV competition.
