Arthur Stone ought to have a foot planted in either camp.
The former All Black scored one of Waikato’s most memorable Ranfurly Shield tries when he helped the team snatch the Log o’ Wood off Auckland in 1980.
But he moved south in 1987 and has remained in the province since. He played for Otago for seven years, so there will be no mixed loyalties when Otago attempts to lift the Shield from Waikato in Hamilton today.
"I’ve lived down here 31 years now so I’m an Otago supporter. But I support Waikato whenever they are playing anyone other than Otago," he said.
It has been nearly 40 years since Stone intercepted the ball 60m out and angled his way to towards the corner flag to help seal a 7-3 win.
Waikato was in the second division that year and trying to claw its way back into the top tier, which it eventually managed. But Auckland was expected to hold on the Shield.
"I was a young 19-year-old who really didn’t realise what the Ranfurly Shield was all about.
"The hype leading up to the game was fanatical. I think we had a crowd of about 47,000, so it was pretty exciting.
"Obviously performing the way we did and scoring a try which helped us win it was quite good.
"The next day the crowd on the motorway on the way back to Hamilton was quite phenomenal. There were people the whole way along the highway tooting. It was amazing for a young guy who had just finished high school."
The try elevated Stone to cult status and helped "put his name out there".
"I didn’t have to run that fast; they weren’t that quick," Stone joked.
"A lot of my friends at the time were telling me how tinny I was because for some reason during that period I [had grabbed a few intercept tries]."
While the Ranfurly Shield has lost some of its lustre since the advent of professional rugby, Stone believes it is still an important part of New Zealand rugby.
"It is still a trophy that every rugby player aspires to get their hands on. Perhaps the young people don’t have an idea of how big it is until they actually win it.
"But it is one of the competitions which helps New Zealand rugby remain so strong and I hope they don’t lessen the value of it.
"It is the difference between us and the rest of the world with the way we structure our rugby and the way we have these different levels."
Stone is confident Otago can repeat the feat it managed five years ago when it travelled to Hamilton and returned with the Shield to snap a 56-year drought.
"I’m hoping Otago can take it. All my mates up there have been given me flak all week.
"But I’m reasonably confident Otago has the power to have a crack at these guys and have a good opportunity to win. I’m not being loyal, I really believe they can win it."