Seven new caps have been named in the Otago squad to contest the Air New Zealand Cup this season, with coach Steve Martin saying this is a new team in a new year.
The team has a core of experience to call on in the forward pack, with hooker Jason Macdonald, prop Kees Meeuws, lock Tom Donnelly and new skipper Alando Soakai having plenty of miles under their first-class belts.
There appears to be less experience in the backs, but plenty of excitement with the likes of wingers Karne Hesketh and Fetu'u Vainikolo, and fullback Ben Smith.
There is also the unknown quantities of New Zealand Warriors players Michael Witt and Ryan Shortland.
Otago had a season to forget last year, finishing 10th in the provincial competition, but will be looking to make an impression under new skipper Soakai this season.
"Last year was that - it is now 2009 and there is no history with this team," Martin said.
"There is a lot of competition within the squad, especially in the loose forwards and the midfield backs, and that can only be good."
The seven new caps in the team are: prop Sam Hibbard, loose forward Charlie O'Connell, lock Hayden Triggs, halfback Johnny Legg, Vainikolo Shortland and Witt.
O'Connell played for Canterbury B last year, while Triggs and Vainikolo transferred from Manawatu and Northland respectively this season.
Legg is from Christchurch and is a former New Zealand under-19 player.He played for the High School Old Boys club in Christchurch and will be classified as a loan player.
Hibbard has played for Otago B for a couple of years.
The unlucky players cut from the early season squad are: Lawrence inside back duo James Kenny and Sam Young, Harbour tighthead prop Pieter van de Merwe and Kaikorai loose forward Adam Hill.
Martin said those players had worked extremely hard, and they knew if there were injuries they would be called into the squad.
Veteran midfield back Luke Herden is also in the side. He has been around the Dunedin club rugby scene for about 10 years but appears to have lost weight and become injury free, and has been rewarded with selection.
All Black loose forward Adam Thomson has been named in the team but his availability for the season will depend on whether he is picked for the All Blacks, and how his hand injury heals.
The team to play Southland in the final pre-season match in Invercargill on Friday night is expected to be named today.
Backs Glenn Dickson and Aaron Bancroft will not play because of shoulder and ankle injuries respectively, while Lucky Mulipola and Shortland are struggling with leg injuries.
English Premiership club Harlequins was yesterday fined 215,000 ($NZ549,875) by the European Cup organisers for faking an injury in its European Cup quarterfinal with eventual champion Leinster, AFP reported.
Winger Tom Williams received a 12-month suspension for leaving the field allegedly with a blood injury.
Williams came off in the dying minutes, with Harlequins losing 6-5, which permitted the English club to bring on former Otago and Highlanders player Nick Evans.
Television footage appeared to show Williams winking as he left the pitch.
With the match delicately poised, Evans had a late attempt at a drop goal to put Quins into the semifinals, but his effort was wide of the posts.
• Otago squad for Air New Zealand Cup
Forwards: Jason Macdonald, Peter Mirrielees, Keith Cameron, Kees Meeuws, Ben Nolan, Sam Hibbard, Tom Donnelly, Hayden Triggs, Seko Kalou, Paul Grant, Eben Joubert, Hoani Matenga, Charlie O'Connell, Steven Setephano, Alando Soakai (captain), Adam Thomson.
Backs: Sean Romans, Johnny Legg, Chris Noakes, Michael Witt, Aaron Bancroft, Luke Herden, Glenn Dickson, Andrew Parata, Brett Mather, Karne Hesketh, Lucky Mulipola, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Ben Smith, Ryan Shortland.
