Significant changes have been made to the annual national women's sevens series starting in Taupo this afternoon.
In last year's maiden tournament, the five sides were split roughly along Super rugby franchises.
The Ti Kouka side was made up of players from Otago and Southland.
However, with a focus on next year's Rio de Janiero Olympics, New Zealand Rugby [NZR] has spread the best 60 players in the country through the five teams.
Sam Hollows is the only Otago player in the Ti Kouka team and there are none from Southland.
Otago's Mike Moeahu, who coached the side last year, is co-coaching the team with Bay of Plenty's Victoria Grant.
The side will play four other teams - Kauri, Pohutukawa, Kowhai and Manuka - over two weekends in the series.
Samoa's women's team will take part in the first leg only as it prepares for the Oceania Sevens tournament next month.
Each leg - Taupo and Auckland - is run over three days to replicate the Olympic tournament, which kicks off on August 4 next year.
In it, each side plays two matches a day in round robin before a finals day in Auckland on November 15.
Moeahu said he preferred last year's format, but can understand why NZR has made the changes this year.
New Zealand Rugby general manager of rugby Neil Sorensen said the series is a ''very important'' opportunity for the country's best players to book a ticket to Rio.
''Sevens is a fast growing sport, particularly for women, and this competition expands the options for players to develop their skills,'' he said.
