Southland hopefuls have two more opportunities to impress before coach Dale MacLeod names his side for the Mitre 10 Cup season.
The Stags will play a game of three spells against a Pacific Island side and a Southland XV this weekend and a trial match on August 27.
Their only other pre-season game is against Otago in Invercargill on September 5.
MacLeod plans to name his squad in early September.
The Stags have signed 22 players but there are still some slots up for grabs.
"We’ve got six more contracts still available and we are going to use the next two weeks as a trial," MacLeod said.
Some of the players competing for those remaining places got an opportunity to press their case at the weekend during a one-sided final between Woodlands and Star on Saturday. Woodlands won the fixture 83-31.
"It was not befitting of what a final should look like. Woodlands turned up and played very well and Star would be very disappointed I’d say in their performance and that happens sometimes."
"Things just don’t click but Woodlands are a pretty slick team and they took every single opportunity."
The Stags opening Mitre 10 Cup game is against Hawkes Bay in Invercargill on September 13.
MacLeod said the team was preparing as if the season will go ahead as scheduled.
But with Covid-19 making an unwanted return to New Zealand, there has been some speculation the start date could be pushed back, particularly for the Auckland-based teams which are unable to train while the city is under Alert Level 3.
"You always hear little whispers but we’ve learned, as everyone learned through Covid, you can't change your plans every time you hear a whisper, you’ve got to keep trucking on and doing what you are doing.
"We’ve got a very good plan in place and if we have to move, change and evolve, we’ll do that."
The Stags snapped a 27-game losing streak with a 42-14 victory over Counties Manukau last season.
This year the team is targeting a place in the semifinals of the championship.
"I was in Northland for three years and we went through a tough period. But we worked away and made the semis and I’m seeing a lot of similarities with this group.
"We made some big shifts last year and, with a little bit more luck, we could have won a few more games. But I have no doubt, with the team we have assembled and the attitude that they've brought and the work they’ve put in, that we’ll be a very competitive side.
"We’ve got our own aspirations ... but if we’re not semifinalists I’d be very disappointed."
