The side has lost some top players from last year with the likes of Paul Grant, Brad Weber and Gareth Evans moving on, but coach Roy Hawker said there was some emerging talent coming through and he was pleased with the hard work the team had done in the past few weeks.
''The guys have been training hard and I'm confident we will go a lot better than we did at the South Island tournament. We have got a few names back and a bit of experience, plus a few who I think are going to be worth watching,'' he said.
The side did not make the final at the South Island tournament but has brought in some new players.
The team will be captained by Otago centre Kieran Moffat, who plays in the forwards in sevens, while another Otago back, Michael Collins, will also be playing in the forwards.
Otago has done well at the tournament over the past couple of years.
In 2012, it went all the way through to the final and last year lost in the semifinal to eventual winner Taranaki.
This year the side has a tough pool although all four pools will be keenly contested.
Otago kicks off its tournament against Waikato tomorrow and then plays Manawatu before taking on Hawkes Bay in the penultimate game of the day.
With only three players back from last year, Hawker has had to call in some new faces but he is excited about the talent he has brought in.
One player to look out for is former Blue Mountain College head boy Gavin Stark, who was a winger for the New Zealand Schools side last year, and is a former national schools sprint champion.
Hawker said Stark would be on the end of the Otago backline and the side would be attempting to give him some space.
''This guy has got some real speed. We have got guys who have got speed but he goes up again from that level. I have not seen that sort of raw talent since Jeff Wilson,'' Hawker said.
Other players looking to make an impact at the tournament are Taieri youngster Josh Casey and Serimaia Tagikacibau, a former Counties-Manukau representative who is playing in Dunedin this season.
Matt Faddes has taken on the role of playmaker in the absence of Weber and Peter Breen.
Hawker was pleased with the side's warm-up and five players who had trained all season had not made the cut. The numbers training put increased pressure for places, which had to be good.
In training the side had played many more games than in previous years and Hawker felt this would benefit the team.
Otago will not have the usual strong home support with the tournament having moved from Queenstown to to Rotorua.
Hawkes Bay has something of a star-studded team, while Waikato is traditionally strong.
Manawatu will be coached by New Zealand sevens player Tomasi Cama.
The top two sides from each of the four pools qualify for the quarterfinals, to be played on Sunday morning.
Otago side for national sevens
Kieran Moffat (captain), Serimaia Tagikacibau, Willis Scott, Tom Rowe, Tala Fagasoaia, Michel Collins, Matt Faddes, Tei Walden, Ben Miller, Josh Casey, Gavin Stark, Kori Rupene.
Tomorrow: v Waikato 12.45pm, v Manawatu 4.45pm, v Hawkes Bay 7.25pm
