First five-eighth Chris Noakes makes his first run-on debut for Otago this season and his elevation has led to Glenn Dickson moving out one space to wear the No 12 jersey.
Chris Small comes into fullback in place of Commonwealth Games bound Ben Smith while in the pack blindside flanker Brad Cameron goes to the bench and Hoani Matenga gets a start on the blindside.
Canterbury has made three changes to its starting team with Sonny Bill Williams getting a start at centre, replacing Robbie Fruean, who moves to the reservesIn the pack, hooker Corey Flynn has injured his sternum while prop Peter Borlase has a sore shoulder.
They have been replaced by Steve Fualau and Andrew Olorenshaw, while Rodney Ah You and Paul Ngauamo moved into the reserves.
Stephen Brett has a minor knee injury and has been replaced in the reserves by winger Sam Monaghan.
Otago will be up against it tomorrow and will have to lift several notches to at least match a dangerous-looking Canterbury side.
Otago coach Phil Mooney said Noakes had a endured a frustrating season and now gets the chance to make an impact on the field.
The five-eighth was hampered by a quadricep injury in the later stages of the club season and then damaged a ligament in his ankle just before the first game of the season, sending him to the sidelines for nearly two months.
He came on to the field in the final 20 minutes of last week's game against Bay of Plenty.
Mooney said Noakes had been eager to get back on to the field.
"One of Chris's strengths is he is obviously pretty composed under pressure. He gives us good direction at first five-eighth and that is what we are going to need on Saturday," Mooney said.
Dickson should bring some size to the midfield and Mooney said he has been good through the season in defence and in the contact area.
Andrew Parata struggled at times last week, and Dickson's size will be an asset against a Canterbury team chock-full of talent.
Small has big shoes to fill, replacing Smith, but he has looked lively when he has come on in the past few weeks.
Cameron has looked impressive in the past few weeks, taking to first-class rugby like a duck to water, but he took a knock last week against Bay of Plenty, and has not been able to train at the start of the week.
Matenga, who has played most of his season at lock, has been itching to get a crack on the blindside flank.
Mooney admitted Smith would be a big loss but the side knew he was leaving to play in Delhi and he went with the team's best wishes.
Canterbury coach Rob Penney said Fruean was due a spell in light of his recent game time.
"Robbie has played every minute of our last seven games and we are managing his workload as we do all our players." Penney said.
Though Fruean has been in great form, his absence will hardly be a mortal blow for Canterbury, which has attacking weapons all over the park.
Penney was confident Williams will go well at centre.
He will be marked by another league convert in Josh Tatupu, showing how many players change codes these days.
OTAGO v CANTERBURY
Carisbrook, tomorrow, 5.30pm
• Otago: Chris Small, Joe Hill, Josh Tatupu, Glenn Dickson, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Chris Noakes, Sean Romans, Charlie O'Connell, Alando Soakai (captain), Hoani Matenga, Hayden Triggs, Josh Townsend, Halani Aulika, Peter Mirrielees, Kees Meeuws.
Reserves: Wyatt McKay, Sam Hibbard, Paul Grant, Brad Cameron, Johnny Legg, Paula Kinikinilau, Ryan Shortland.
• Canterbury: Sean Maitland, Tu Umaga-Marshall, Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty, Telusa Veainu, Colin Slade, Andy Ellis, Nasi Manu, George Whitelock (captain), Matt Todd, Isaac Ross, Luke Romano, Andrew Olorenshaw, Steve Fualau, Wyatt Crockett.
Reserves: Paul Ngauamo, Rodney Ah You, Rob Verbakel, Ash Parker, Willi Heinz, Sam Monaghan, Robbie Fruean.
