The Otago Rugby Football Union has finalised its coaching appointments for representative teams this coming season and there have been some changes.
Marty Gray, who coached the Otago Spirit side for the past couple of seasons, is now in charge of the Otago development team, along with new Harbour coach Marty Hurring and former All Black Paul Miller.
Otago previously had an under-20 side but age-group teams have shifted to under-19 as the New Zealand Rugby Union puts a focus on this age-group.
The national union announced last month it would stage a national under-19 tournament in Taupo at the end of September.
The tournament will feature 16 teams, one each from the 14 unions in the ITM Cup, a second team from Auckland, due to the high playing numbers, and a team made up of players from the 12 Heartland Championships unions.
Otago coaching director Phil Young said the four South Island unions - Canterbury, Otago, Tasman and Southland - would play each other before the tournament to decide a ranking.
The top two teams would play in the top eight at the Taupo tournament while the other two sides would play in the bottom eight.
Young said the under-19 team would assemble quite early during the club season and train regularly to be ready for the tournament.
The new national tournament in Taupo was the brainchild of the national union and, as well as matches, there would be seminars for players and coaches during the week of the tournament.
The Otago under-19 team will be coached by Barry Stevens, Jason Macdonald and Mike Moeahu.
WIth Gray moving to the development team, University A coach John Hyde has taken the reins of the Spirit. He will be assisted by Rahul Das and former Highlanders prop Marius Mostert.
The Otago ITM Cup team will again be coached by Tony Brown and Young. Kees Meeuws will assist.
Other coaching appointments: Otago under-18: Ryan Martin, Eric Vaafusuaga; Otago under-16: Duncan McEwan; Metropolitan under-14: Mark Alderton; Otago secondary schoolgirls: Helen Littleworth, Terry Kerr; Otago under-65kg: Mike Robinson, Dean Schroder; Otago under-48kg: Bob Sinclair, Stu Cotton.
