Elliot Dixon is moving into the fast lane.
It has taken him a while but Dixon, the Highlanders loose forward, appears to be finding his feet at Super rugby level.
The former St Bede's College pupil admits he has learnt a lot since he came to the Highlanders as a fresh faced 20-year-old in 2011.
''The first year, I didn't play because of injury and the second year I only played two games. I think now I'm just getting the small things right, doing the rehab right,'' he said.
''I was quite young when I came down here. But now I'm getting to learn the game plan, getting to know what to do at training. It's a confidence thing, I suppose. Getting a bit older - not too old I hope.''
Dixon came into the Highlanders when coach Jamie Joseph came on board and as Dixon has grown, so has the game.
''It has got a bit quicker from when I first started but everyone just seems to be a bit bigger now. Guys are in the gym all the time. They're all big, quick and strong.
''When I look back to it when I first started I was pretty green. I had just come out of the Southland environment and then straight into the Highlanders environment, with guys like Adam Thomson and Alando Soakai. Tony Brown was still here.''
He arrived at the Highlanders with the likes of Aaron Smith and Lima Sopoaga, and five seasons later they are all still around.
Dixon (25) plays for Southland at No 8 but at the next level up he is playing on the blindside flank, although he had a start on the openside flank role last week against the Chiefs.
''It was a step up in pace in the lungs. Especially in the last 30 minutes, the lungs were getting a bit tired. But we won, so it was all good.''
He does not mind having a spell away from the No 8 jersey, saying it would be hard to nudge out co-captain Nasi Manu.
Dixon (25), who has played 34 games for the Highlanders, has a big couple of months ahead of him and not just on the rugby field.
He is another Highlander due to become a father, following in the footsteps of teammates Ross Geldenhuys and Ben Smith.
His partner Paige is due to have a baby boy in May, and all was going well so far.
Dixon was signed with the franchise for another couple of years and also had two more seasons with Southland.
As for tonight's match, it should be a game between two committed forward packs.
''They've got some big boys, so we want to run them round, not have them running at us. They's got some quality backs but we need to be pretty focused on ourselves.
''Everyone loves coming here to play at the stadium but in saying that, at least you don't get some of those nice wintry nights when it is raining and snowing and that.''
Dixon is going to have a busy night against a Waratahs pack which has the size and strength to match the Highlanders.
Though they won last week, the Highlanders were far from perfect and are unlikely to get away with that two weeks in a row.
They must cut out the basic errors, win the territory battle and get their hands on the ball for long periods.