Souhtern stalwart Mike Reggett has been picked as one of 20 team liaison officers for next year's World Cup.
Reggett, who has been the liaison officer for visiting teams for more than 15 years for the Otago Rugby Football Union, is the only Otago name on the list.
The officers will be each allocated to a team and will be with that side from the day it arrives in the country to the day it gets knocked out of the tournament.
Reggett (50), who is a life member of the Southern club, said it was a huge honour and he had to thank the Otago union for nominating him.
He would find out later this month which team he would be involved with.
"Obviously, it would be a big thrill to get one of the big teams, but really I'm happy to just be involved in a tournament like this," he said.
Reggett was introduced to the liaison role by Des Smith in 1995, and said then Otago manager and now union life member Gerard Simmons had been a huge help when starting off.
A groundsman at King's High School, he said the school had been good enough to give him time off during the tournament next year.
He was not sure whether it was a paid position but that was not a big issue for him.
Over the years, Reggett has been involved with various sides, at test, Super 14 and provincial level.
Players had not changed over the years, he said, but every single player hated night rugby.
The tournament starts on September 9, with the final on October 23.
