Hooker Jason Rutledge believes the Southland factor will work to the Highlanders' advantage when they play the Waratahs in their Super 14 match in Invercargill on Friday night.
Rutledge is one of a big Southland contingent who will play their only match of the campaign in Invercargill to kick off round 12.
It will be the first time the Southland players have played on their home ground since they beat Taranaki a week before winning the Ranfurly Shield last year and Rutledge believes they will get a warm welcome from the locals.
"The Southland public had a lot of enjoyment out of the Stags last year and they've been starved of top-class rugby since," he said.
"The public is still well behind us and I'm sure we'll get good support."
Rutledge said the confidence of the Highlanders had been boosted by the five tries they scored against the Hurricanes at Carisbrook last weekend.
"One of the big problems has been scoring tries and to score five against the Hurricanes was pleasing. It was a confidence booster for the boys. It was something we would have loved to have had at the start of the season."
Rutledge said the Highlanders acknowledged the quality of the Waratahs but were not intimidated by them.
"They started off really well and they might have gone off the boil a wee bit. They're a good side and they'll be tough to beat but who knows what will happen in Invercargill? The way we played last weekend we can really take it to them and shake them up a bit.
"We were a lot more confrontational last week and I'd assume we would be looking at the same sort of plan for the Waratahs.
"Our aim for the rest of the season has to be three wins. We've got to move up that ladder. It would be nice to have some good wins and maybe sneak ahead of the Chiefs.
"We had five South African sides in a row and now we have three Australian teams. It's probably good that we start in Invercargill. We're on our home soil and the conditions should suit us."
Rutledge said it was frustrating to suffer yet another close loss last weekend.
"Maybe we got tied up a bit in the harem-scarem stuff against the Hurricanes and maybe we should have calmed it down a bit and taken the three points when we had the chance.
"It was frustrating. It still says on the points table we have had only two wins so far and that's not really good enough for a professional team."
But Rutledge, 32, who is in his first full season as the Highlanders' starting hooker, acknowledged he had been fairly satisfied with his own form.
"The big thing has been my lineout throwing and I've been pretty happy with that. It always seems to take a couple of games to get going but I think I've been slowly building during the season.
"I feel pretty much at home in the Super 14 now. I'm starting to feel as if I can add something at trainings as well.
"I'm comfortable talking to the more experienced guys and giving my opinion. It's a great competition to measure your own progress, and I enjoyed butting heads with Andrew Hore (Hurricanes hooker) last weekend."
