The Highlanders are on a break from Super Rugby duties at the moment but will square off against the visiting French Barbarians team at Rugby Park in Invercargill tonight.
The Highlanders will be missing their All Blacks, much like 12 months ago when they took on the British and Irish Lions in the June test window.
Hemopo was thrust into the spotlight against the Lions in that fixture and came up trumps, to the extent that 12 months on, he is bracing himself for an All Black debut in Dunedin tomorrow night.
Dixon said there was an opportunity in Invercargill for another player who was itching for an opportunity to also make a name for himself.
"This is where guys get a break and make their names, so for them it is a great opportunity.
"Jacks [Hemopo] is a perfect example of that - a guy no-one knew, but this was his game.
"He did what Jacks does; he doesn't say a lot, he just did his job and now he is going to be playing an All Blacks test on Saturday," Dixon said.
The fixture against the French Barbarians will provide an opportunity to dust off the cobwebs after a break since the last outing against the Hurricanes on June 1.
Dixon said the opportunity to play against a French team that they knew very little about added spice to a hit-out at this time of the year, which otherwise could have had a pre-season feel to it.
"I think it is great. I think this is what we should be looking at doing, is playing against different teams.
"Usually we play the Crusaders or something and you end up playing them four times in a year, which can be niggly," Dixon said.
"It is good to play a different style of footy. Super Rugby is a lot different to the rugby I guess these guys are used to playing.
"I think for both teams, it benefits going back to where they are from."
Highlanders general manager Roger Clark said he would be more than happy with a crowd of 4000 at Rugby Park tonight.
However, he conceded ticket sales "were very slow" and expected they would probably struggle to get to that figure.
He said corporate box sales were up on previous visits to Invercargill but the similar trend had not been seen with terrace and grandstand ticket sales.
Southland's 1979 win over France at Rugby Park will be recognised tonight.
Leicester Rutledge, who played on the flank for Southland in 1979, will join son Jason, a former Highlander, and Leicester's grandchildren in making a special presentation to the French Barbarians team.
Leicester is also a former manager of the Highlanders.
Highlanders v French Barbarians
Highlanders: Josh McKay, Matt Faddes, Rob Thompson, Richard Buckman, Tevita Li, Lima Sopoaga (co-captain), Josh Renton, Elliot Dixon, James Lentjes, Josh Dickson, Paripari Parkinson, Alex Ainley, Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon (co- captain), Aki Seiuli.
Reserves: Greg Pleasants-Tate, Guy Millar, Tyrel Lomax, Dan Pryor, Marino Mikaele Tu’u, Kayne Hammington, Josh Ioane, Thomas Umaga-Jensen.
French Barbarians: Julien Dumora, Arthur Retiere, Damian Penaud, Pierre Fouyssac, Hugo Bonneval, Jean Marc Doussain (captain), Thibault Daubanga,
Fabien Sanconnie, Patrick Sobela, Yoan Tanga Mangene, Swan Rebbadj, Florian Veraeghe, Sebastian Tafifenua, Quentin Lespiauca-Brettes, Quentin Bethune.
Reserves: Julien Marchand, Antoine Tichit, Pierre Bougarit, Thomas Jolmes, Judicael Cancoriet, Francois Cros, Alexis Bales, Emerick Seitiano.
- Logan Savory