Mooney has kept faith with the backline but has brought loose forward Eben Joubert and lock Hoani Matenga into a pack which was so unconvincing in the loss to Counties-Manukau last Saturday.
Joubert comes in for No 8 Paul Grant, who moves to the reserves. The South African will play on the blindside flank with Adam Thomson moving to No 8.
Matenga, who played the majority of his club rugby on the openside flank this season, will add plenty of mobility to the forward pack. He replaces Seko Kalou, who was anonymous last week.
Mooney said the pair had been rewarded for showing plenty of energy last week when coming on in the second half.
Kalou struggled to make an impact last week while Grant was let down by his hands a couple of times. Both should be expected to get some playing time off the bench.
Winger Ryan Shortland, who suffered a nasty blow to his ankle last Saturday and was forced off the field, has been named to start on the wing.
He was looking doubtful at the start of the week but got through training well yesterday and is fit to play.
After the disappointing effort last week in Pukekohe, Mooney might have been tempted to make more changes but, with only one game down, has stuck with the bulk of the side.
New prop Halani Aulika was due to face a hearing in Auckland last night, appealing a four-week ban imposed on him last week.
If that appeal is successful and he is cleared to play, he will take the place of Blair Young on the bench.
Aulika was banned for an incident in a club match last month, when he was alleged to have kneed a player just after the player had scored a try.
Southland has kept intact the side which beat Manawatu 37-23 last week, with the possibility of just one change. Winger James Paterson has been bracketed with Mark Wells on the left wing.
Paterson, who moved south from Canterbury in the off-season, has been recovering from a hamstring injury, picked up in the win against North Otago last week. Pehi Te Whare will be on the reserves bench if Paterson does not make it on to the field.
Young Southland props Nic Barrett and Micheal Peterson have been bracketed on the bench. The starting pack, which impressed in the win over Manawatu, remains the same, with lock Josh Bekhuis and flanker Tim Boys running into fine form.
The match will be refereed by former Dunedin official Jonathon White.
OTAGO V SOUTHLAND
• Otago: Chris Small, Ryan Shortland, Ben Smith, Josh Tatupu, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Glenn Dickson, Sean Romans, Adam Thomson, Alando Soakai (captain), Eben Joubert, Hayden Triggs, Hoani Matenga, Sam Hibbard, Peter Mirrielees, Kees Meeuws.
- Reserves: Liam Coltman, Blair Young, Seko Kalou, Paul Grant, Johnny Legg, Andrew Parata, Joe Hill.
• Southland: Robbie Robinson, Glen Horton, Kendrick Lynn, Matt Saunders, James Paterson or Mark Wells, James Wilson, Scott Cowan, Elliot Dixon, Tim Boys, John Hardie, Joe Tuineau, Josh Bekhuis, Chris King, Jason Rutledge, Jamie Makintosh (captain).
- Reserves; Brayden Mitchell, Nic Barrett or Micheal Peterson, Dion Bates, Kane Thompson, Sonny Rangitoheriri, Wells or Pehi Te Whare, Tony Koonwaiyou.
