The Otago under-19 side will play its one and only warm-up game today as it begins to eye the national tournament next month.
The under-19 team has been working for a good couple of months so far but assistant coach Luke Herden said university examinations and holidays had sometimes made it difficult to get all the players together.
They had been training on Monday nights within the club season and now that had finished the side would be fully focused on the tournament.
Coach Jason Macdonald has been whisked off to Japan for 10 days to help out coaching at the Sanix club so will not be at today's game against the the Sassenachs Colts at 2.30pm.
Herden said today's game at the University Oval would be a good opportunity to view players in different positions and evaluate depth among the squad.
The final team has yet to be selected but the first full competition game will be next month.
The side plays three games against South Island opposition.
It will play Tasman on September 5 in Christchurch, Southland in Dunedin on September 12 and then Canterbury in Christchurch on September 19.
Herden said the side wanted to finish top of the South Island division and would then have to take on the second-ranked side in the Blues region at the national tournament in Taupo, which kicks off at the end of next month.
There is a mix of premier club and colts players in the team.
• A try to centre Kieron Fonotia with just over 10 minutes left secured Tasman a 34-13 win over Bay of Plenty in an ITM Cup game in Nelson last night.
Tasman 34 (Liam Squire, Mitchell Scott, Kieron Fonotia, Peter Samu tries; Marty Banks 4 con, 2 pen) Bay of Plenty 13 (Zak Hohneck try; Nick Evemy con, pen; Dan Hollinshead pen). Halftime: 14-3
Otago under-19 team
to play Sassenachs Colts
Logan Allen, Christian Kelly, Jed Thomas, Simon Lloyd, Matt Jones, Eric Munro, Wilson Driver, Vincent O'Connell, Ashley Craig, Alex Hawira, Ben Webby, Harry Dodds, Jonah Aoina, Joe Cairns-Thomson, Tristan Fuli. Reserves: Sidney Fidow, Teague McElroy, Jermayne Maika, Cody Laing, Kadin Brooks, Thomas Johnson, Jono Hayes, Connor Fifita, Grayson Kite, Chris McNoe, Casper Harvey, Reece Mau'u.
