Anderson, the New Zealand Rugby Union general manager community and provincial rugby, has been in Otago over the past two days talking to club rugby officials and those involved in schools rugby, both in Dunedin and Central Otago.
He said the feedback was positive, despite the possibility of the Otago union going into liquidation later today, and club people were looking forward to getting on with the season.
"The phrase we have heard is that it is business as normal. What most people want to know is whether things are going to be in place so people can get involved in this sport," he said.
"We want to try and pitch it along the lines that if people want to be involved, be it as a coach, a player, a supporter, a manager, an administrator, then they can still do this like they always have.
"The measure of success will be when people look back at the 2012 season and see that it has been like any other year."
Anderson said the national union was prepared to put in resources to make sure courses such as Small Blacks training sessions and development programmes remained in place.
Clubs would also get the usual administration support.
Employment conditions meant these positions could not be confirmed but he said it would be logical the national union used staff who would be out of a job should the Otago union be put into liquidation later today.
They had local knowledge, which was vital.
"We want people in place so when the competition kicks off everything will be fine. One way that will work is that we enlist the support of volunteers. We're asking them to help and step up to do the things they have always done."
Anderson said the national union was looking to put people in place as soon as practicably possible.
There are 7500 registered club players in Otago.
The premier club season starts on March 31, with schools and junior rugby set to start on April 28.
Anderson acknowledged many people had been disappointed the Otago union was headed into liquidation.
"You can't put any sort of positive on it. People at all levels of the game are hurting. They have taken a knock. But people are looking forward. They are positive and there is a resilience there that this happening does not mean club rugby will miss out. People have stepped up and offered support and are prepared to do things.
"I've been in this job for 10 years and I know what rugby people are like. I've not been disappointed with what I've found. You go to the country and you know country people will do what country people do and get in behind their community."
Community rugby was funded by various sources, some of it tagged money from the national union, untagged money from the union, sponsorship and trust money.
He did not have any figures on what the national union had spent and intended to spend on community rugby in Otago.
Whether Otago would field representative teams below ITM Cup level had not yet been decided.
As these teams were not picked until the end of the season, there was still time to decide, but he hoped to have as many as possible.
Some provinces had decided to do away with representative teams for a season and were now bringing them back, he said. Some North Island unions had not fielded B sides in recent years.
He acknowledged not having an Otago team in the ITM Cup would take away part of an aspiration pathway for young players.
Anderson met officials involved in the Highlanders First XV schools competition yesterday and said the competition's executive committee was working hard to confirm it would begin as usual next month.
