New name, same game.
The Otago secondary schools elite rugby competition has a fresh moniker this season.
It will be known as the Otago Schools Rugby Championship.
There are a couple of other small changes as well.
The Otago Combined team will operate under the Taieri College banner. It will still field players from Kaikorai Valley College and Kavanagh College if they are selected.
With the bulk of the players attending Taieri College, the team has decided to switch its name back.
The competition gets under way on May 14, and the format is very similar to last season.
The 12 teams are divided into the top six and bottom six based on their rankings at the end of the previous season.
In previous years, the bottom two teams in the top division would switch places with the top two teams in the lower tier for the second round.
But this season, only one team from each division will switch places.
Otago Secondary Schools Rugby Council chairman Greg Heller said the decision to make that change was made following a "comprehensive review" of the season.
"We got input from all schools and presented them with some different competition models," he said.
"One of the models was to reduce the teams which go up and down from two to one.
"That was the model that got the most support.
"We also looked at widening the net ... and including some more Southland teams.
"But at the end of the day the majority support this format."
Following the opening round, a second round of five games will be played.
The 12 teams then split into a top four, middle four and bottom four for the semifinal round.
The winners progress to finals day, which is scheduled for August 20.
There are some Covid contingencies built into the rules, so if a squad is badly affected, there is an opportunity for a match to be deferred.
There is also some wriggle room in the schedule to make up some games if needed.
The hope is to play the top four final at Forsyth Barr Stadium, but if that is not possible, the game will be played at the "best available neutral venue".
