Jayden Spence has been playing with his mates for the past 10 years and they are now having a good time in the top Otago side.
Spence, who is in his second year in the Otago side playing well at centre, said the season's goal was to make the semifinals but now the team was there it wanted to go further.
"We're in the semifinals so as a team you probably could not have asked for anything better. Obviously getting to the semifinals is what you aim for at the start of the season and then you want to go on and make the final," he said.
"We just need to do much of what we did when we played Tasman last time. Just do the basics well. Defensively I thought we did well. Got in and won a few contestable balls."
Tasman was dispatched 39-13 by Otago last month and the two sides meet in a semifinal at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight.
Spence is one of the few left injury-free after a brutal encounter against Auckland last Thursday night.
"You can certainly tell when you play those top teams. Just the physicality more than anything. They are bigger guys and certainly you feel it. I did not pull up too well after that game and felt it for a couple of days."
Spence (21) though is glad for any playing time after a long period on the sidelines at the start of the year.
He was forced to have an operation to fix a groin which became a nagging problem.
The operation which gave him more flexibility in his hips helped free him of pain in his left groin when he tried to up his pace.
"I had it in December and it was supposed to take four to six months to be fully recovered but it ended up taking seven and a-half to eight months.
"I could walk almost straight away like any normal guy but couldn't do any contact work or change direction. It took a while but I got there."
He has no ill effects from the operation and is feeling in good form, having missed the bulk of the club season for Kaikorai.
Spence, who also works as a personal trainer at Snap Fitness, grew up in Alexandra and played for the Dunstan High School first XV.
He had played in Otago junior teams with the likes of Lee Allan, Matt Faddes and Tony Ensor, all whom are now in the Otago ITM Cup squad.
"You grew up with your mates playing rugby in those teams and now you find you're still playing with them at this level.
"It is good fun, good times. The morale in the team is really good, everyone gets on, but of course that comes back to winning. Everything is always good when you're winning."
