Dan Pryor (28) is proud of his hair - and so he should be as it took seven years to get where it is now - but he wants his rugby to do the talking.
Pryor, who hails from the winterless north, starts on the openside flank for the Highlanders tonight in the match against the Hurricanes in Wellington.
He is making the most of the start, thanks to captain and flatmate Shane Christie going down with a hamstring injury.
"It is good to get some good minutes and get a bit of time on the field,'' Pryor said.
"Coming off the bench for 10-20 minutes does not do much for my game.
When you come on you feel as though you have to do something.
"But if you come on and get out of the system you are leaving holes. Most of the time when I have come on we have been closing games down on D [defence]. Just been tackling everyone, really.''
Pryor said Christie was a supportive team-mate but they liked to get away from rugby once training stopped.
"There if not much talk about footy at home. Once the whistle goes on the training paddock then that's it really. I might ask him a question at home and he'll either stitch me up or tell me what is going on.''
Much of the time spent away from the rugby field is spent on a surfboard.
So who is the better surfer?
"Shane charges anything big or small. We should have a competition. I am the better guitar player. I should be; I'm trying to teach him.
"The surf down here is great. The week off, the surf had settled down a little bit and we got out. Up north, even now, they surf in boardies so down here I get in boardies and they all think I'm mad.
"Dunedin is unreal. There is always good surf around. I like Tomahawk and Aramoana. When Aramoana is good, it is unreal, just with all the scenery.''
Pryor (28) said his job tonight was simple - just do his first-up tackles and then play the game as it comes.
Rain is forecast to arrive tonight but Pryor said the side would still look to move the ball, regardless.
The Northland captain has signed on for another year and said he had loved the Highlanders as soon as he arrived.
"My heart was always here, especially after last year. Environment was nothing like I have ever seen. Just weird you come down here and it feels like you have known each other for years. There are hunters, surfers and everyone just contributes. You can take the mickey out of anyone and they'll just laugh.''
Pryor, who said he slept in pants and hoodies to protect himself from the southern climes, has not cut his hair for seven years.
It is his pride and joy.
"I had long, straight hair before that. I had to grow it long before it got dreaded. It is a seven-year plan. I know what I am up to.
"It never gets grabbed - only when you are in mauls and it is body on body. They'll probably do it now that I have said it. I wanted dreads for years and it took me seven years to get them so I'm not going to cut them ... I grew my hair for five years - I looked terrible for five years, not that I'm any better now.''
Pryor will be a key man tonight as the Highlanders look to enter the season break with another win.
The side has played some electric stuff in the past couple of games and will need to keep that up against a Hurricanes team packed with stars.
Highlanders v Hurricanes
Wellington, tonight, 7.35pm
Highlanders: Ben Smith (captain), Waisake Naholo, Matt Faddes, Malakai Fekitoa, Patrick Osborne, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock, Dan Pryor, Elliot Dixon, Tom Franklin, Alex Ainley, Josh Hohneck, Ash Dixon, Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Reserves: Greg Pleasants-Tate, Aki Seiuli, Siosiua Halanukonuka, Mark Reddish, Liam Squire, Fumiaki Tanaka, Marty Banks, Tei Walden
Hurricanes: James Marshall, Cory Jane, Matt Proctor, Vince Aso, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Victor Vito, Ardie Savea, Brad Shields, Michael Fatialofa, Blade Thomson, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Dane Coles (captain), Reggie Goodes.
Reserves: Motu Matu'u, Chris Eves, Lonu Uhila, Vaea Fifita, Callum Gibbins, Jamison Gibson Park, Ngani Laumape, Jason WoodwardReferee: Mike Fraser (Wellington)
