For sole Dunedin selection in the 14-member squad Daniel French (34), New Zealand's sporting bragging rights extend into those of family as cousin Kyle French is skip of the Australian fours and pairs combinations.
Daniel, a painter and decorator who represented New Zealand for the first time in the transtasman test two years ago in Sydney, will only go head to head with his ''cousie'' in the fours, as he is selected to play in the fours and triples.
In Sydney two years ago, bragging rights were shared with Daniel in the New Zealand team that won the triples but lost the four. Both Australian combinations were skipped by his cousin.
''We're one-all. You could say there's a bit of rivalry with me and Kyle,'' Daniel said.
New Zealand went on to win outright, adding victories in the singles and pairs.
Daniel has been playing indoor bowls since the age of 10 when he was introduced to the game by his grandmother, Gloria French.
Since then, Daniel has accumulated 25 centre titles, two national titles and two Island titles - one North Island and one South Island.
As the focus on indoor bowls is mainly in the winter months, Daniel mixes his sporting prowess up over the summer months by playing lawn bowls for Forbury Park, and a good bit of social golf.
But with his stepfather, Brent Sinclair being president of the Dunedin Indoor Bowls Association, and two step-brothers and partner Keri Te Tamaki all part of the large Dunedin indoor bowls fraternity, there is little doubt he lacks encouragement.
Since the beginning of the year he has been training on the international mats five hours a week.
With the international mats longer and thicker than interclub mats, Daniel said it was necessary to get the feel for the adjustments needed for international competition.
''It's a bit of a compromise, so no-one has a big advantage.
''Because our season has just started I had no feel for weight, and coming on to these [club mats] they were just flying off the back. So it is quite tricky to come back off them [international mats].
''Line and length is not too hard, but it's just getting the weight right and get them [the bowls] to stop when you want them to.''
Daniel's journey to selection in the New Zealand team came via winning the national title and North Island fours titles.
''National titles are really hard to get because generally the really good players get to the final and become real hard to beat.
''The Australians are pretty good. But we've got a lot of really good players around the country as well.''
The strength of the South Island men's ranks is indicated by French being joined by Gary Low (Invercargill), Michael Lawson (Ashburton) and Simon Thomas (Christchurch).
Suzanne Mackie (Invercargill) is the sole South Island representative in the women's team of seven headed by 2017 national lawn bowls pairs champion Dale Rayner (Wellington).
