A tournament in Timaru this weekend will decide which teams from the South Island will appear at next month's national competition in Queenstown, but Otago is a certain starter.
For the first time in several years a tournament will decide which other teams go through.
There are four places at stake, so one team from Tasman, Canterbury, South Canterbury, North Otago and Buller will miss out.
Southland has not entered and will not be playing at the national tournament.
Otago will attend the tournament this weekend along with Otago Country and a Hanan Shield team to make up the numbers.
Otago qualifies for Queenstown as it finished in the top eight last year and is also the host of the event.
Canterbury did not send a team to the last national tournament in Queenstown but, after it received widespread flak for the decision, is back this year.
Southland, though, is a non-starter after disappointing performances at the national tournament over the past few years.
Otago Country will not be able to enter the national tournament as it is a sub-union and not a provincial union.
It has made up the numbers at the past two national tournaments in Queenstown after sides pulled out at the last moment.
However, not being able to enter the national tournament has not stopped Otago Country performing well as it won a tournament last week in Christchurch in which both Otago and Canterbury appeared.
Otago Country players are eligible for Otago and the likes of Lachie Moore, Jai Baxter and Aiden Winter are candidates for the Otago side.
Otago is lacking a bit of experience with the likes of Paul Grant, Jeremy Cave and Brad Cameron taking the season off.
Otago coach Mike Moeahu has youngsters in his ranks, though, such as University A fullback Matt Faddes, Southern lock-loose forward Simon Knight and Pirates centre Marshall Suckling.
North Otago has not appeared at the national tournament in recent years and chief executive Colin Jackson said the side was dipping its toe in the water to see how it fared.
The team will be coached by Jason Forrest and Nathan Cunningham.
Waikato won the tournament last year, beating Bay of Plenty in the final.
Those two teams have qualified for next year's tournament along with Counties-Manukau, Taranaki, North Harbour, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu and Horowhenua-Kapiti. Auckland will have to qualify.
There are 16 places at stake, with six berths allocated for provinces from the northern region, five from the central region and five from the southern region.
The tournament, on January 8-9, is set to be played in Queenstown for the eighth time.
