Otago has been cut from the national championship because of the Otago Rugby Football Union's financial woes.
McCarrigan intends to call a meeting at some stage to gather support for an Otago team in the future.
She said the team started about 20 years ago when a group led by Sue Garden-Bachop and Helen Littleworth got together, raised some money and went on a North Island tour.
She said that might be the way of the future, with the Otago players staying in budget accommodation and cooking for themselves.
The New Zealand Rugby Union used to pay for the air fares in the national competition, while the Otago union paid for accommodation and other expenses.
McCarrigan (nee McKenzie), who played 86 games for Otago, said it was vital Dunedin women's club players had a provincial team to which to aspire.
She said hoped an Otago women's team could at least get a pre-season game against Canterbury this season. Another alternative was for Otago to play the two sides that did not make the top four in the national competition.
Otago had higher costs for its team, as the majority of competitive women's teams were in the North Island, she said.
ORFU change manager Jeremy Curragh said the decision to axe the women's team was regrettable and would be reviewed at the end of the year.
He said clubs had been informed this week about changes to representative sides brought on by the financial situation facing the Otago union.
The Otago B and Colts teams would be combined to form the Otago Development team and would play a full programme.
Curragh said part of this decision was because of the financial challenges faced by the union.
However, it was also thought a straight development team was needed to back up the top Otago team and be ready to play at the next level.
The team would have no age limit, and would play against sub-union sides and other unions' development teams.
Otago age-group teams under-19 and below would continue to play, he said.
