Kaikorai club stalwarts, university mates, North Otago folk who watched him in a handful of games for the Old Golds, and Otago supporters still buzzing from his breakthrough NPC season will relish the sight of the dynamic loose forward running out for the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Most importantly, Casey’s parents will be heading south to see the 22-year-old start at No 8 against the Crusaders.
‘‘As soon as I told Mum and Dad, they were on to flights,’’ he said yesterday.
‘‘My old man’s a Crusaders fan — well, an old Crusaders fan now — so hopefully we’ll look to get one over them.
‘‘It means everything. I got to call up Mum and Dad and the family, and hear how proud they were. I’ve had friends and family messaging me.
‘‘I will try and reflect on it all next week, but I’m just looking forward to the opportunity.’’
Kerikeri High School is hardly one of the great rugby nurseries but Casey follows in the footsteps of former Blues flanker Tom Robinson.
‘‘I’m super proud to come from that school and now say I’m a Super Rugby player. I’ve always wanted to chase that dream.’’
As recently as eight months ago, Casey was a regular in club rugby with just a handful of mostly bench appearances for Otago.
He went from being named Dunedin club player of the year with Kaikorai to a wonderful season with Otago and now a starting debut for the Highlanders.
Head spinning much?
‘‘It’s pretty surreal, to be fair.
‘‘The last year has been massive for my rugby career, and as a person, and I’m looking forward to it.
‘‘I’ve always had the want, but the belief is . . . yeah, surreal to be here. Coming from outside this region, it’s awesome to have this opportunity.’’
Casey is an openside flanker by trade but was a regular for the Demons at No 8 last year and is not fazed by starting at the back of the scrum against the defending champions.
It would be a long time before the buzz of Otago’s Ranfurly Shield-wining season and run to the NPC final wore off, Casey said.
He also has positive memories of the spell he had with the Old Golds in 2023.
‘‘It was pretty awesome, to be fair, heading up there and being able to travel round the smaller regions.
‘‘Good people — it was good to see the community get behind the team.’’
The Highlanders expect a crowd of 15,000 tonight and one imagines they will all get behind the team if they can upset the defending champions.
That is not going to be easy.
One glance at the form confirms that. The Highlanders have won just one of their past 11 Super Rugby Games, and the Crusaders have lost just one of 11.
The Crusaders are stacked with All Blacks; the Highlanders have Ethan de Groot.
Crazier things have happened, obviously, and while speculation swirls over Jamie Joseph’s future, the Highlanders could do worse than deliver a mighty upset to put the attention back on them.
