Now there is Josh Townsend, a strapping lock who has Canterbury roots but will proudly be the Otago representative in the New Zealand Under-20 team at the junior world championship in Wales in June.
He claimed a place in what shapes as one of the strongest New Zealand age-group sides in recent times after a cut-throat final trial in Rotorua.
"I'm really excited. It's been a long time waiting for the trial and now I'm ready to get into it,'' Townsend said yesterday.
"I've worked pretty hard in the off-season to get myself ready for this.''
As well as the first-name connection, Otago has a history of producing good locks with Canterbury backgrounds, with All Black beanpoles Simon Maling and James Ryan both getting to the top via Christs College and the University club.
Townsend, who turned 20 last week, went to the other major school, Christchurch Boys. He was part of a mini-dynasty, with the school claiming three consecutive national titles and the unofficial world championship in Japan.
Townsend, Crusaders loose forward Nasi Manu, Ash Dixon and Hugh Reed all came out of Christchurch Boys and have made the Under-20 side, which has replaced the Under-19 and Colts teams.
Playing with team-mates like Manu, Sean Maitland and Kade Poki, who all helped New Zealand win the Under-19 world championship last year before making the Crusaders, had illustrated the pathway to the top, Townsend said.
"It's definitely exciting. It's great to play with and against players who have played rugby at the top provincial level.''
Townsend started just one game for the Under-19 team that beat South Africa 31-7 in the final in Belfast last year, with Sam Whitelock - younger brother of Crusaders and former Otago loose forward George - and captain Chris Smith being preferred at lock.
Those two are in the Under-20 squad, and with Tom Donnelly, Ross Kennedy and Uili Kolo'ofai dominating Otago's second row, Townsend knows he is going to have to be patient this season.
"I'll just see how it goes. Hopefully, I will have a strong World Cup and then doors will open.
"Playing NPC would be nice but there's a few players ranked ahead of me at the moment.''
Townsend is a specialist lock, clocking in at 1.97m and 106kg. He has been in Dunedin for three years, studying a marketing degree while a part of the Otago Rugby Academy and playing for the champion University Blue Colts.
Townsend hopes to make his premier club debut soon for University A, where he is resuming his link with coaches John Leslie and Josh Kronfeld.
"They've been really great. You couldn't ask for two better coaches to learn from and it's great that they've moved up to the premier side at the same time as I have.''
The New Zealand Under-20 squad assembles in Auckland for two camps (May 3-6 and May 26-31) before heading to Cardiff to play Tonga (June 6), Ireland (June 10) and Argentina (June 14).
