"It was a hard decision. I did 10 years or something with the Blues, 100-odd games and I enjoyed every minute. But I think this is the right decision for me, my family and my rugby as well." Photo by Craig Baxter.

A desire to play in the next World Cup is a big part of the reason Tony Woodcock has signed for the Highlanders.

Woodcock has inked a two-year deal with the franchise and will move his family south at the end of the year, ending an association with the Blues which started 10 years ago.

The 88-test All Black sees his future in this country, and is looking at staying in the black jersey for some time to come.

"I am 31 now, so I will be 34 then when the World Cup comes around, so it is an achievable goal," Woodcock said.

"That is part of the plan and why I am going to come down here. To freshen me up, a new environment, a new challenge. It is exciting."

Woodcock said he only had to look at his opposite number from Saturday night, Pumas veteran Rodrigo Roncero, to see props could continue well into their 30s.

Woodcock's signing is a coup for the Highlanders, but the no-nonsense prop, who has played 113 games for the Blues since 2002, said it was not easy to leave the only franchise he has played for.

"It was a hard decision. I did 10 years or something with the Blues, 100-odd games and I enjoyed every minute. But I think this is the right decision for me, my family and my rugby as well.

"Obviously, for me it is a change and a new challenge.

Hopefully it will spark me to play longer and the goal is to stay in New Zealand and to do that.

"I was excited to come, a change of scenery and all that stuff. I was attracted to the way the Highlanders run things down here so I thought I would give it a crack."

Woodcock will join All Black front-row colleague Andrew Hore at the Highlanders and he joked yesterday that Hore had been badgering him about making the move south.

Though he had only met Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph once, he was impressed with what the former All Black loose forward had done with the franchise.

"I think from the outside looking in, I like the style they play, the way Jamie plays. He is a pretty straight-up sort of guy and what you see is what you get."

Woodcock will move his family - wife and two children, aged 4 and 6 - to Dunedin for the rugby season.

"I'm excited about a new challenge, new environment. They [the Blues] were deeply disappointed with the decision but respected me that I had made it."

Woodcock's immediate focus for the next week is in his new home town as the All Blacks prepare to take on the Springboks at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night.

The Springboks will be hurting after a draw with Argentina and a loss to the Wallabies, so will be desperate come Saturday night.

"Any rugby side that gets beaten will leave no stone unturned and will come with a real physical style."

Woodcock has been part of a competitive scrum last weekend against the Argentinians and he said analysis carried out yesterday showed the scrum was performing well.