It faces its first serious examination today, when Tasman comes to town in what is something of a traditional pre-season match.
The sides have locked horns in pre-season for some years now and Tasman has traditionally come out on top.
Two years ago it put six converted tries past Otago while last year in Nelson, Tasman also finished in front.
Otago will want to reverse that today but has some new faces to blend in and find a level it is comfortable with as the ITM Cup season looms near.
The home team has some experience in its team with players who have been part of the Otago set-up for a couple of years.
But it also has lost a few key men from 2013 and there are big holes to fill.
Last year's captain Paul Grant has gone.
Key loose forward and last year's player of the season Gareth Evans has moved north.
Halfback Fumiaki Tanaka has headed back to Japan.
Those three were part of a core which were a major part of the reason Otago had been reasonably successful over the past couple of years.
But for that success to continue players will have to take a step up and that starts this afternoon.
Coach Tony Brown said this game was the most important one of the pre-season, and players needed to take the step up.
''We need to up our intensity from the last game.
"This is a great game to get ourselves out of playing club rugby and up to playing professional rugby, where it is a different speed, a different intensity and the levels all round are a lot higher,'' Brown said.
''It is a massive step up in intensity from club rugby. We want to get a few combinations going and see how guys adjust and handle the game.''
With all the Highlanders still on a break, the Otago forward pack has a relatively green look to it.
Locks Joe Latta and Jackson Hemopo showed some encouraging signs last Sunday against the Spartans and will want to again take some steps forward.
With the departures there are some places open for the ITM Cup side - blindside flanker, halfback and lock appear to have the vacancy sign out.
Lee Allan has been handed the captaincy and will start at No 8, while Hugh Blake will want to take his chance on the openside flank.
Brown said the result was not overly important, it was just about wanting players to show the energy levels and speed of thought required at this level.
Having played club rugby for the best part of the last five months, players need to be get out of those habits and that comes down to the little things.
The window for error is so much smaller at this level and Tasman is sure to offer a tough examination.
It is far from a full strength Tasman side but it will be keen to win and plenty of their players will want to impress the coaching staff.
The match will be refereed by young Auckland official Angus Maybey, who has yet to call an ITM Cup game.
Otago v Tasman
FB Stadium, today, 2.30pm
Otago: Tony Ensor, Jayden Spence, Kieran Moffat, Tei Walden, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Peter Breen, Josh Renton, Lee Allan (captain), Hugh Blake, Nalai Dawai, Joe Latta, Jackson Hemopo, Hisa Sasagi, Sam Anderson-Heather, Aki Seuili.
|Reserves: Sam Sturgess, Mike Mata'afa, Josh Dickson, James Lentjes, Nick Ealey, Michael Collins, Matt Faddes, Marshall Suckling, Donald Brighouse
Tasman: Robbie Malneek, Ben Tyler, Mike Wells, Brandyn Lauresen, Mitchell Scott, David Havili, Billy Guyton, Vernon Fredricks, Peter Samu, Niki Moala, Tom Hicks, Jeff Lepa, Ross Geldenhuys, Quentin Macdonald, Ciua Hulanukunuka.
Reserves: Jesse MacDonald, Rueben Northover, Tevita Cavubati, Alex Ainley, Tone Ng Shiu, Jimmy Cowan, Fletcher Matthews, Sam Aiono.
Referee: Angus Maybey (Auckland)
