Highlanders officials are hopeful the good crowds attracted to other New Zealand rugby venues eventuate at Carisbrook on Friday night.
North Otago Rugby Union chief executive Colin Jackson says overseas interest is high in next year's Waitaki Golden Oldies rugby festival but there are also fears about high prices set for inbound tourists for the Rugby World Cup.
Otago winger Karne Hesketh is off to play in Japan and there is a chance he will be joined by captain and openside flanker Alando Soakai.
Jamie Mackintosh has had a roller-coaster ride in the past 12 months. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn talks to the prop and Highlanders vice-captain about shields, moving and wanting to get back into the national team.
The Highlanders have named just two new caps in their starting side to face the Crusaders in their opening Super 14 clash in Christchurch tomorrow night.
The Super 14 has been a rich hunting ground for New Zealand teams, with sides from this country winning the competition 10 times. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at four New Zealand sides, and assesses their chances for the coming season.
Jayden Hayward has got his apprenticeship off the field - this season he wants to earn his stripes on the field.
The curtain-raiser may be just as interesting as the main game when the Crusaders and Highlanders play in Christchurch on Saturday night.
The Otago Rugby Football Union made a big loss on the sale of Carisbrook as it valued the ground through how much it cost to build it.
South African sides have always struggled in the Super 14 but the Bulls bucked that trend last year to win the title. Can they do it again ? Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at the chances of the sides from the republic.
Carl Hayman looks to be headed back to New Zealand, but it appears doubtful he will land back in southern climes.
Otago may well be out of the running for the semifinals of the one-day competition but it still has plenty to play for, coach Mike Hesson says.
Otago United is a genuine semifinal chance, but the examination does not get much tougher than playing Waitakere in Auckland tomorrow.
The Highlanders started last year with two wingers.
Paul Grant will want to go one better than last year when he plays for New Zealand in Wellington this weekend.
Bad behaviour at Carisbrook this season could result in spectators being banned from the ground for two years, as authorities seek to stop a repeat of last year's bottle-throwing incident.
Canterbury may be out of the running for the final of the domestic Twenty/20 competition, but it is not going to be in a charitable mood when it takes on Otago at the University Oval tonight.
Otago Rugby Football Union amateur rugby manager Justin Gardner has lost his job as the union restructures its staff because of financial pressures.
New Otago coach Phil Mooney admits it is up to him to prove himself, and he has been impressed with what he has seen of the Otago side.
You can run but you cannot hide - not with modern technology on the sports field.