Otago is looking at a tough draw for this year's ITM Cup as games are squeezed into a tight playing window.
Though the official draw for the competition is not yet out, a draft version of the draw has Otago playing plenty of games within a few days, and spending plenty of time at airports.
The ITM Cup has to be played before the World Cup starts, so the competition will be finished in the first week of September.
With 10 rounds and a straight final it has led to games being played during the week.
Under a draft draw, Otago would have its first game at home on July 14, against North Harbour at Carisbrook, a Thursday, and will then play another nine games over the next seven weeks.
A couple of its games will be played midweek with games to be played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
There was a game scheduled for July 30 against Northland in Whangarei before a match back in Dunedin three days later.
Otago has three games in 11 days in late July in the North Island against Hawkes Bay, Auckland and Northland.
It could look at staying up north to cut down on travelling time, although there are financial implications in that decision.
It will also play three games in a week in August.
Otago coach Phil Mooney said whatever way you looked at the draw it was the same for all sides, but it was going to be tough for the players.
He said midweek games meant playing resources would be tested as players would find it difficult to play three games in a week.
"I know from what happened this year and the way the players were then that many of them simply would have not been able to play a midweek game. They would have needed time off to get over the bumps and bruises," Mooney said.
Otago announced 23 players on contracts late last year and Mooney said no players had been signed since.
He said players from club rugby would still have the ability to make their way into the Otago team and win contracts for the season.
A date would be arranged where representative players would be withdrawn from the club competition.
With the club competition going to two full rounds no representative players would be available to play in the finals.
Mooney is training a squad of 15 players already in a strength and conditioning programme.
He had returned to Brisbane over Christmas and came back to Dunedin two days before the Queensland city's airport was shut due to the flooding disaster.
The family still owns a home in Brisbane and the property was not flooded.
