Paul Grant has been on one side of the fence at Carisbrook - now he wants to make an impact on the other.
Grant is a rarity in the Otago jersey in recent years.
He was born and bred in the province and has played for Otago right through age-group ranks.
But in another way, he is similar to many Otago players who have gone before him - he attends the University of Otago and studies physical education.
The 20-year-old loose forward grew up in Balclutha, attending South Otago High School and playing in the blue and gold jersey from primary school age.
He and his family used to make the trek to Carisbrook from their South Otago home to watch Otago.
"I can remember as a family coming up to Carisbrook, and then going to Carisbrook with my mates, and now I'm playing on Carisbrook," Grant said.
Grant made his debut for Otago last year and has made an impression, mostly coming off the bench, this season.
Otago coach Steve Martin has mentioned Grant as one of the players of the future for Otago, and Grant said he was relishing playing at the higher level.
"The whole team atmosphere has been great and I'm really enjoying it."
About the only thing Grant, and the rest of the Otago rugby public are not enjoying, are the results on the field.
Otago is sitting in 11th place and faces unbeaten, top-of-the-table Wellington on Saturday night at Carisbrook, needing nothing short of a miracle to get into the quarterfinals.
Grant said it was hard to say exactly what what had been going wrong with the Otago side.
"We've been training well but we've just been not getting the results. It is hard to pinpoint one thing that we are really doing wrong."
Despite the results, he said morale was still good and he hoped to get a start this week.
Grant said it was not easy having to come off the bench and try to get involved when all the other players were in tempo with the game.
"You try to get involved early and go hard for however long you are out there."
Grant, a third-year physical education student, said it was busy keeping up with study and playing rugby, but technology, such as all lecture notes being available online, made it easier.
He hoped to finish his degree next year, but rugby might get in the way.
As a product of Balclutha, it would be thought David Latta would have been a special player for Grant, but he said the tough hooker was a tad early for him, and his idols when growing up were players such as John Leslie, now his coach with the University A side.
Grant played more as a blindside flanker when at school but was now comfortable at No 8 and saw his future there.
Ultimately, like most rugby players who grew up in the South, he wanted to play for the Highlanders.
"That is the goal I suppose. What I would like to do. I like the lifestyle here and plan to keep playing here for the next couple of years at least."
