Gordon Tietjens could be hand-picking Otago sevens players at a tournament in Middlemarch this year.
The Strath Taieri community is organising the Heartland Sevens and Country Fair Day on September 25 to coincide with Rugby World Cup matches in Dunedin.
Strath Taieri Community Board chairman and event organiser Barry Williams said Tietjens, the New Zealand Sevens coach, had indicated he would be keen to attend the tournament, which would be an official Otago Rugby Football Union trial.
Mr Williams believed it would be a great opportunity for the coach to see a range of different players in action.
Dunedin metropolitan clubs, Central Otago and West Otago teams, along with invitational sides, would come together for the 12-team tournament.
Organising such an event had "been a dream of mine for a few years" and he was "excited" about what it would mean for the community, he said.
A $10,000 grant had been secured from the Spin It Wide campaign and the Dunedin City Council had also given a "few thousand dollars".
While Mr Williams was "pretty one-eyed about rugby", other activities were being planned for the public, including dog trialling and sheep-shearing demonstrations, rounds of golf, walks at Salt Lake, beer and meat tasting, and children's activities.
The fun family day will display Strath Taieri to tourists and international media after the World Cup.
Tickets will be sold to the tournament and the Taieri Gorge train will ferry those attending from Dunedin to Middlemarch.
"I hope it is going to be a good fundraiser for the community."
