Southland have plenty of fresh faces this season.
Some of them will be familiar if you follow club rugby in Dunedin.
But the Stags have also looked abroad to solve a few problems as well.
A good chunk of the newbies have been named in the side which will host Otago in a preseason game in Gore this afternoon.
English winger Charlie Powell has been named to start on the wing. He will boost the experience of the back three.
Australian first five Jake Strachan will come off the bench. The 27-year-old has played close to 40 Super Rugby games and is expected to be a calming influence.
Highlanders and former Otago openside Sean Withy has returned home and will captain the Stags this season.
Transplanted Aucklander Byron Smith has shifted south in search of opportunities in the No10 jersey.
He played in the championship-winning Star side in the Southland premier grade competition.
The 20-year-old has done some training with the Highlanders and he played for the New Zealand Barbarians last year.
The blitz crew — Toyota Verblitz that is — of Issa Yamakawa, Kouta Oyabu and Akito Okui will all get an opportunity in the maroon.
Southland have a tight relationship with the Japanese club and the trio have come over to play club rugby and push for a spot in the Southland team.
Curtis Palmer and Josh Augustine, who played for Dunedin in the Dunedin club final on the weekend, have also been named on the bench. Neither is in the Stags squad but they will likely get a run today.
Co-coach James Wilson has described the fixture as "connection" day.
"Connection is the main thing," he said.
"It is a new team. Half of our squad have been away ... so it is about getting them back together and getting them connected and building that physicality for the NPC, which is another level up."
Otago have named eight players who played in the Dunedin club rugby final, so they are experimenting as well.
Neither side will want to give too much away as they meet in the opening round of the NPC in Invercargill on August 10.
NPC pre-season
Gore, 3pm
Southland: Rory van Vugt, Charlie Powell, Angus Simmers, Isaac Te Tamaki, Michael Manson, Byron Smith, Connor Collins, Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, Akito Okui, Blair Ryall, Woody Kirkwood, Shneil Singh, Morgan Mitchell, Jack Taylor, Jack Sexton. Reserves: Joe Walsh, Jacob Payne, Nic Souchon, Hamdahn Tuipulotu, Curtis Palmer, Woody Kirkwood, Issa Yamakawa, Sean Withy, Dylan Nel, Lachie Albert, Liam Howley, Jake Strachan, Josh Augustine, Faletoi Peni, Kynan Stowers-Smith, Cole Spinks, Kouta Oyabu.
