Among its ranks are Black Ferns Piki Solomon (wing), Shannon Willoughby (flanker) and Claire Richardson (midfield), who played for Otago last winter.
Hawkes Bay also has Maia Tua-Davidson (full-back), who played for Otago two years ago.
They have boosted the morale of a team that lost its five games last winter and finished last in the national championships.
Richardson is dynamic in the midfield and also played a key role in Otago's runner-up performance to Auckland with her accurate goal-kicking.
She is on the Hawkes Bay bench today.
Hawkes Bay won its warm-up games against Wellington (10-5) and Manawatu (18-13) and gave Canterbury a hurry-up before losing 20-27 in its first championship match last Saturday.
Otago started its season with a 38-24 win against Wellington last week.
"I am happy with the result," coach John Kyle said yesterday.
"But I am not delighted with our second half, after leading 26-0 at half-time. They came back and scored 24 points."
The team has worked hard during the week to rectify the mistakes.
There are three changes to the Otago team.
Fullback Charlotte Brock has hamstring problems and Victoria Nafatali has moved from the wing to replace her.
Chloe Trubshoe comes on to the right wing.
Centre Ashley Hooper has a stress fracture in her leg and has been replaced by Sonia Panapa, and No 8 Georgina Gane has been replaced by the promising Megan Kane, who will play at blindside flanker.
Kerry Stoddart has moved to No 8 from blindside flanker.
Taieri College prop Rachel Ovens (16) has been added to the bench and will make her debut in the second half.
