Rutherford, who first played premier rugby in 2007, has been a prolific scorer on the club scene and has topped 100 points consistently in the last four years. Last year, he scored 198 points.
Goal kicking could be crucial in the game against Dunedin at Bishopscourt.
Kaikorai has a useful back-up in Matt Te Tana, who scored 26 points against Harbour when Rutherford did not play.
Both teams have scored bonus-point wins in the first three games and top the table with 15 points. Alhambra-Union is the only other unbeaten team on 14 points.
Andy Hunter is in his third year coaching Kaikorai and has developed an efficient unit on attack and defence.
''I think we can win,'' Hunter said.
''We are a similar type of team to Dunedin. We are happy enough going into the game knowing that we can win.''
Hunter has worked on developing sound structures within the team.
''To put a team together you have got to allow three years to get everything to sink in and for players to mature and feel comfortable playing at that level.
''It is a case of players being very clear and familiar about their roles and how we want to play. The boys enjoy our style because they feel confident when playing that way. It's taken two or three years to bed in.
'' We are not the biggest team but we try to play quick and accurate rugby and create space for our outsides.''
In his first year as coach in 2012, Hunter took Kaikorai to sixth place. The club finished fifth last year.
Dunedin has been riding high in the last three years. It finished fifth in 2011 and second in 2012, and won the banner last year.
Kaikorai has an exciting backline with players of the calibre of New Zealand schools halfback Josh Renton, Te Tana, Rutherford, Jayden Spence and winger Bryce Morgan.
Dunedin should have the edge in the pack with key players being dynamic hooker Sam Anderson-Heather, lock Nick Peacock and the loose forward trio of Mitchell Zandstra, Hugh Blake and Hame Toma.
The other milestone in this week's club rugby will be at Bathgate Park, when Jocko Parker will celebrate his 300th game as masseur for Southern, when it plays Taieri.
