Craig Newby is a content sort of bloke. He is married to a good North Otago woman, is a proud father, has worn the All Black jersey, and later this year is heading to Leicester to play for one of the world's great clubs and earn a handsome salary.
But the Highlanders captain, who plays his last game for the franchise against the Crusaders tonight, is also frustrated, concerned and annoyed.
His frustration stems from a season that will likely end with just two wins, a record low for the Highlanders, and potentially the wooden spoon.
The concern is for the future of a team he has represented with pride and vigour on 66 occasions since he was sent south as a North Harbour draft player in 2002.
And he is annoyed because two of his team-mates have been arrested in the past six weeks and the inevitable result is that the image of the Highlanders has taken a battering.
Newby sticks to his guns on his summation of the Highlanders season, declaring he has enjoyed playing for the team, even if it has struggled to put wins on the board.
"I think it's been a good season, but we just haven't won, if that makes sense. In previous years, we've won five or six games and looked back and thought it was a disappointing season," he said.
"This year's been different. We've been close a number of times and it's gutting to know we could have won at least four other games.
"If we'd had six wins, heaps of bonus points, then who knows. But it's been a fun year. I've enjoyed it. We're a good young side that enjoys rugby and enjoys each other's company."
The Highlanders have been in the news for the wrong reason twice this year.
First winger Lucky Mulipola was convicted of assault and driving charges, then halfback Jimmy Cowan was charged with disorderly behaviour.
Newby reacted strongly when it was suggested his players had let their captain down by their actions off the field.
"They haven't let me down at all. I'm their mate, you know. I'm not the senior sergeant of Dunedin police or anything.
"My whole time here, this is the first time we've had this sort of thing."
Asked if there was a culture of drinking in the team, Newby said: "I don't think there is. We enjoy our beer, just as much as any other team.
"The Blues were down last weekend and we caught up with some good mates, went out and had a few beers. There's no booze culture here; certainly no different to anyone else."
Newby is joining the great rugby migration to the northern hemisphere but he's got too much Highlanders blood in his veins not to worry about the future of the franchise.
It has been well documented the Highlanders are finding it tougher each year to succeed in the Super 14 because of their dwindling resources and apathetic fan base.
They are in a tricky spot, Newby concedes.
Only by winning, and pushing for a semifinal place, can the Highlanders attract new sponsors, fans and players, and it can be hard to win on a consistent basis when you are constantly rebuilding.
The skipper is brutally honest when he considers whether the Highlanders, or the New Zealand Rugby Union, can safeguard the franchise's future.
"I can't say I've got faith in the administration, any administration, because time and time again you see things getting mucked up.
"I think New Zealand rugby in general has a problem. Wherever I've been, whether it's been North Harbour or Otago or the Highlanders, there's not much loyalty. It's all about the money.
"That's what it will come down to with the Highlanders. There's never going to be money to put into new players. We need to get five All Blacks down here, keep them for three years, then all the young guys learn off them.
"Until that happens - and it probably won't - we're going to be stuck in the same cycle."
Newby does not expect many of the Highlanders to be getting a congratulatory phone call from All Black coach Graham Henry in two weeks.
But he thinks Cowan deserves to be an All Black again, he rates Clint Newland one of the best tighthead props in the country, and he believes lock Tom Donnelly has proved he can be a consistent performer.
So to tonight's game.
The Highlanders have nothing but cliched pride to play for, and Newby has his last game in a Highlanders jersey.
The realistic captain knows his under-powered, injury-ravaged side would need to play 80min of sublime rugby to beat the Crusaders.
"We believe if we play perfect rugby, and we've shown some glimpses of that, we can beat them. It's a challenge but we're looking forward to it.
"You've got to be at your best. Even when they don't play well, they seem to hold on and then put two or three tries past you. Then the game's gone. We're not dreamers. We know it's going to be tough."
The Highlanders have not beaten the Crusaders since 2001, and have not won in Christchurch since 1996.
The Crusaders are also just three games away from a seventh championship.
That, and the fact they are farewelling revered coach Robbie Deans, ensures they will be in the mood to dispense with the Highlanders as ruthlessly and efficiently as possible tonight.
It will be a big night for the man in the middle. Southland referee Keith Brown makes his Super 14 debut.
