Although it has yet to be confirmed, it seems certain that Stead will skipper the side in the Shell series following the off-season retirements of Lee Germon and Darrin Murray.

The trial teams contain a mixture of players, while Otago has adopted a similar approach.

Otago will remain in the province to play the New Zealand Academy from Monday to Wednesday at Lincoln Green. The Otago team includes former Wellingtonians Stephen Mather and Glenn Jonas, who have shifted south in the off-season.

Canterbury teams

Saturday: Stead (c), Craig Cumming, Brad Doody, Robbie Frew, Mark Lane, Carlos McGillivray, Cleighton Cornelius, Mark Hastings, Chris Flanagan, John Quinn, Geoff Allott, James Ward.

Sunday: Stead (c), Harley James, Doody, Scott Pawson, Michael Papps, Hamish Barton, Stephen Cunis, Campbell Ogilvie, Carl Anderson, Shane Bond, Darren Walker, Wade Cornelius.

Otago v Canterbury: Mark Richardson (captain), Chris Gaffaney, Stephen Mather, Graeme Greene, Carl McKenzie, Andrew Hore, Greg Davis, Mathan Morland, Rhiane Smith, Matthew Sale, Glenn Jonas, Mark Billcliff.

Otago v NZ Academy: Robert Lawson (captain), Martyn Croy, James McMillan, David Sewell, Karl O'Dowda, Richard Quirk, Davis, Richardson, Mather, Hore, Morland, Jonas, Green.