For the past couple of seasons, the players have had to join forces with the opposition and play under the Canterbury banner — a completely unsatisfactory situation, right?
Actually, it provided valuable playing opportunities for the players based in the region. But that act of generosity may eventually backfire on the court.
Otago has put together its own team and will compete in the national league this season.
Arguably it would not have happened without the support it got from Canterbury during the past few seasons. And Wheel Blacks coach and paid-up Cantabrian Greg Mitchell has been instrumental as well.
He made the trip south to Dunedin yesterday to attend training and help with the development of the sport in the area.
‘‘I’m just down for a training session and to help keep them on the right track going forward,’’ Mitchell said.
‘‘This will be the first year that Otago has had a team. For the past two years they had players who have joined in with the Canterbury team.
‘‘But this year they have decided to go it alone and all power to them. It is great to see the development of new regions.
‘‘We’ve got a couple of players joining them to help boost the strength and make them competitive right from the start.’’
The domestic league is run over three weekends. The first round is at the end of this month in Tauranga. Rounds two and three follow in Palmerston North and Auckland.
Otago will miss the opening weekend due to the cost of attending. That means it will default its first two games but ‘‘we’ll see what we can do in the other rounds and see if we can get through to the playoffs’’.
‘‘A lot of new teams, when they come in, really do struggle and there is no way I wanted to see them struggle because they are an awesome bunch.
‘‘So I wanted to make sure I could help them the best I could. So I’m playing for them having played for Canterbury for the last 14 years or so and I hope I can make a bit of a presence out there on court to assist.’’
Mitchell is an able-bodied player. The league allows each team to field one able-bodied player.
Auckland is the team to beat. Most of the Wheel Blacks are based there. Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington and Canterbury, of course, are represented as well. Manawatu has had a team in the past.
