Cleanout means newlook Otago side
OTAGO has lost more than half its starting side from last season’s semifinal and its depth will be tested in the coming season.
Players have either gone overseas or moved within New Zealand as the domestic game continues to become more about career aspirations and cash than loyalty to provinces.
Of the 15 players who started the Mitre 10 Cup semifinal against Bay of Plenty in October last year, eight of them will not be playing for Otago this year.
The days where players racked up 100 games for their province have long gone but this season it is going to be tough for Otago, which has lost some quality players from its lineup.
Latu Vaeno, who started on the left wing for Otago in the semifinal, was a loan player from Taranaki and is still playing club rugby in Taranaki. He is unlikely to be back as he looks to opportunities with his home union.
Midfielder Tei Walden is heading home to Taranaki while halfback Jono Ruru has signed for two years with the Blues and Auckland.
No 8 Sione Teu, who made his debut for Otago in 2016, and played 13 games all up for the union, has left Dunedin to pursue opportunities further north.
Loose forward and All Black Dillon Hunt has linked with North Harbour while Adam Knight is believed to have signed a contract to play in France.
Lock Blair Tweed has signed to play in Japan while prop Craig Millar is playing for the Sunwolves and whether he comes back to play in Otago is up in the air.
Along with those losses, other players who have left the province include back Fletcher Smith, who is going to play for Waikato this season, and utility back Leroy van Dam, who has been playing in Hong Kong and is expected to head to Europe in a few weeks.
Otago first fiveeighth Hayden Parker, who has had a nightmare run with injury over the past three seasons, has linked with the Sunwolves in Japan.
After the Sunwolves finish up this season, he will join Highlanders Tom Franklin and Richard Buckman at the Kobe Steelers.
It is a good move for Parker, who will enjoy the fastpaced game in the Japan league.
Italian lock Josh Furno, who played for Otago last season, has washed up in Western Australia, and is part of the 2018 Western Force squad, which will play in a competition against other sides starting next month.
Otago may have lost a raft of players but it still has some experience and there are always players coming through which should give new coach Ben Herring some comfort.
Backs Michael Collins, Matt Faddes and Sio Tomkinson have some miles on the clock at the provincial level while up front James Lentjes, Liam Coltman and Aki Seiuli all have experience of playing in the domestic game.
Hooker Sam AndersonHeather, who captained Otago last year, has not been sighted for his Dunedin club side this season; he has had a knee operation.