The tournament, in its third year, has 15 teams lining up and all money raised will go to the Rugby Foundation to assist injured players.
There had originally been hopes to have a women’s grade but that had not eventuated so there will be 10 teams in the open grade and another five in the over 35 years grade.
The tournament is scheduled for February 4, at Miller Park.
Organiser Shane Waldron said all teams would get at least four games.
The open grade would be split into two pools of five teams and the top team in each pool would play in the final.
The masters’ grade teams will all play each other and then have a final between the top two teams, if everyone is still standing.
The Spartans side will contest the masters’ grade and has called in some big names. Former All Blacks Paul Miller and Pita Alatini and former Scottish back Brendan Laney will all line up, along with former Wellington inside back Fa’atonu Fili and Shortland Street actor Pua Magasiva, who plays character Vinnie Kruse.
Other sides lining up in the over-35 grade are teams from Taieri, Alhambra-Union and a couple of invitational sides.
Club teams from Southern, West Taieri, Green Island, Pirates, Marist from Invercargill and Cromwell are expected to line up in the open grade.
An Otago Boys’ High School side, made up of former players from the school is expected to be a serious challenger and will be captained by former Highlander Filipo Levi. The tournament was won by an invitation Barbarians side last year.
The tournament raised more than $18,000 for the Rugby Foundation in its first two years.
