The game is the start of the pre-season campaign for Otago and Southland, but both teams are a long way away from putting their full-strength teams on the paddock.
Highlanders players are still on leave while both provinces have their club finals this Saturday so players from those four teams - Dunedin and Taieri in Otago, and Star and Woodlands in Southland - are not available.
Players from losing semifinal teams are also having a limited role to play tonight.
The Sassenachs will be captained by Kaikorai loose forward Lee Allan, who will link with Pirates forwards Solomon T-Pole and Josh Clark.
Southern colts hooker Ricky Ricitelli has been named in the starting side.
Ricitelli hails from Taranaki and is a member of the Otago academy. He has been training with the Otago team over the past few weeks.
Otago coach Tony Brown said Ricitelli was a promising player who had impressed at the Otago academy.
Pirates outside back Jury Arthur was another Brown was keen to cast an eye over. He is a big winger, who can also play in the midfield, and has a league background.
Ezra Taylor, who last played for Otago in 2007, gets a run at lock, after making a return to club rugby in the past month.
He has turned out in Australia and Europe since he left Otago and has played more at loose forward than in the second row.
Blue Mountain College head boy Gavin Stark is in the reserves, and should get a run.
There are only two players in the Sassenachs side - winger Marshall Suckling and Allan - who played for Otago in the Championship final last season.
Sean Conner has been forced out with a groin strain and has been replaced by Matt Faddes at fullback.
Brown said it would be good to have a hit-out after a long club season for some players.
''This is now, basically, the start of our season. Last year, we played South Canterbury and I would expect a little bit more intensity from last year,'' Brown said.
''It is a good chance for those guys who did not play in the semifinals to get out there and impress.''
South Canterbury was dispatched 87-0 last year but it should be closer tonight.
Prop Scott Manson has taken a long time to get over an ankle injury and he will want to stamp his mark on the game while Aki Seiuli will make his comeback from the bench,Seiuli had a knee operation over the summer and is yet to play a club game this season.
He is expected to get 20 minutes tonight.
Brown said he was not overly worried about the result tonight as the performance was more important.
''We just want to do our job collectively. It is a just a hit-out, really, and will have a couple of guys having a trial.''
Otago adopted a very attacking philosophy last year and the team was looking to continue that while adding a couple of things to improve its game.
The Spartans have a wise head in No 8 David Hall while first five-eighth Scott Eade will be keen to start what is an important season for him.
Former New Zealand Colts prop Tuki Raimona will start for the Spartans after recovering from a serious chest injury which cast doubt over his playing future last month.
Sassenachs v Spartans
Forsyth Barr Stadium, 5.30pm today
Sassenachs: Matt Faddes, Marshall Suckling, Aleki Morris, Cam Rutherford, Jury Arthur, Peter Breen, Josh Renton, Solomon T-Pole, Josh Clark, Lee Allan (captain), Ezra Taylor, Blair Tweed, Scott Manson, Ricky Ricitelli, Craig Miller. Reserves: Hisa Sasagi, Aki Seiuli, Tom Franklin, Josh Dickson, Adam Knight, Jamie Brown, Guy Schwikkard, Eroni Sototu, Gavin Stark
Spartans: Kurtis Tarrant, Will Murray, Logan Moore, Josh Hall, Jose Vosewale, Scott Eade, Nemia Kenetale, David Hall, Campbell Smith, Ratu Dawai, Michael Fatialofa, Craig Smith, Juan Koen, Talemaitoga Tuapati, Tuki Raimona. Reserves: Morgan Mitchell, Anton Huisman, Jose Seru, Brenton Howden, Greg Dyer, Luc Jones, Bryan Milne.
Referee: Michael Lash (Southland)
