The only player in the starting team to make his first-class debut is exciting young fullback Vilimoni Koroi, who comes into the team after a breakout season for the All Blacks' sevens team.
Koroi looks a player with plenty of tricks in his pocket and the speed to back them up. With Michael Collins injured with a stress fracture in his foot, Koroi has taken the No15 jersey.
In the reserves, backs Josh Ioane and Jona Nareki get their chance to make their first-class debuts, should they get time off the bench.
In the backs, Tei Walden will team up with Matt Faddes, while Sio Tomkinson comes on to the left wing.
Sione Teu gets his chance at No8, having played well for University during the season. He played four games for Otago last year, though three of those were off the bench.
Otago coach Cory Brown said Teu deserved his chance and been a standout performer in club rugby this season.
The other option at No8 was Pat Sio, but he is not quite ready yet, as he looks to improve his match fitness, recovering from a shoulder operation.
Lock Josh Furno has a slight neck injury and, at a push, could have played but it was decided to rest the injury for another week. Tom Rowe and Blair Tweed are in the second row.
Aki Seiuli and Donald Brighouse will flank captain Sam Anderson-Heather in the front row.
Brown said the side was eager to get out on the park and get the season under way. The side had its only real warm-up game against Southland in Gore on August 4 and that was minus its Super Rugby players.
''We possibly could have had one more pre-season game but, in saying that, the Super Rugby guys who have come back in are really fresh. They are itching to go and really enthusiastic.
''We had a great camp out at Berwick, some really good team bonding, got to know each other ... I'm really interested to see where we are at.''
He said a positive about not playing too many pre-season games was the players would be fresher later in the season.
The sides met in the Mitre 10 Cup championship final last season. Missing from the match tomorrow for Otago are Collins, Fa'asiu Fuatai (France), No8 Paul Grant (England), loose forward Naulia Dawai (Ireland) and lock Tom Franklin (Bay of Plenty).
The Mitre 10 Cup is a quick competition so it is imperative to get off to a good start.
Otago won its first six games last season but that will be a tall order to repeat this season, with a tough game against Canterbury next up, on August 27.
North Harbour, under new coach Tom Coventry, has a couple of injury concerns and has delayed naming its team until today.
The side has turned over players from last year with skipper Chris Vui heading to England and midfielder Michael Little playing club rugby in Japan.
But it has attracted Chiefs outside back Shaun Stevenson, Hurricanes prop Chris Eves and former Highlanders lock Jarrad Hoeata. Former University midfielder Shae Tucker, who was a standout as loan player for North Otago last year, has also joined the union.
Otago team to play North Harbour:
Vilimoni Koroi, Mitchell Scott, Matt Faddes, Tei Walden, Sio Tomkinson, Fletcher Smith, Josh Renton, Sione Teu, James Lentjes, Dillon Hunt, Tom Rowe, Blair Tweed, Donald Brighouse, Sam AndersonHeather (captain), Aki Seiuli. Reserves: Sekonaia Pole, Craig Millar, Giorgio Bower, Josh Dickson, Adam Knight, Jonathan Ruru, Josh Ioane, Jona Nareki.