It will be the fourth time he has played for the Hurricanes at Carisbrook. The Highlanders won the first two and the Hurricanes won in 2006.
‘‘I used to get a hard time up front from Anton [Oliver] and Carl [Hayman],'' he quipped.
He is confident the Hurricanes can beat the Highlanders. ‘‘It's a long way to come down if we don't,'' he said. ‘‘The Highlanders have been unlucky in the last three games and we can't take them lightly.
‘‘We hit a bit of form against the Chiefs last week. Hopefully, we can build on that and get a bit of consistency going.''
Carisbrook is Hore's old stamping ground and he enjoys playing there.
‘‘It will be a good chance for my friends from Central Otago to come down and watch,'' Hore said. ‘‘It's a good time to come down here, have a game, and catch up with my mates afterwards.''
His most memorable game was the club final in 1998, when a last-second dropped goal by brother Charlie gave Dunedin a 23-22 win over University A.
His first-class highlight at the ground was in his first year of first-class rugby in 1998, when Otago beat Waikato 49-20 in the final to win the NPC.
He has not found it hard getting back into rugby after the All Blacks' traumatic time in the World Cup.
‘‘No. I went back to the farm and got into some real work,'' Hore (29), a sheep farmer, said.
‘‘I found it harder going back to Wellington for Super 14 and leaving the farm.''
Getting back to the reality of life on the farm got the cup out of Hore's system and enabled him to come back fresh for the Super 14.
The new laws have not changed Hore's rugged approach to rugby.
‘‘ I used to get into the rucks but it's a bit more open now,'' he said. ‘‘I do a few more fitness sessions during the week to keep up to speed.''
One of the strengths of Hore's game is his hard-driving play close to the line. He scored a hat trick of tries against the Chiefs in 2006, a Super rugby record for a hooker. He holds the record of six tries by a hooker in a Super season and achieved this in 2004 and 2006.
His immediate goal is to get the Hurricanes into the Super 14 semifinals and get back into the All Blacks.
‘‘I've got to perform for the next 10 to 12 weeks to stake my claim for the All Blacks,'' he said.
‘‘You have got to make sure you are up for every game and not have an off-day on the big occasion,'' he said.
Hore played three games for Maniototo in club rugby last winter and is keen to play for the club again this year.
‘‘The Otago and Taranaki unions are good and let me play,' he said. ‘‘I'm keen to get back to the club for a run. It's good to get back to my home club and pass on to the younger fellows what I've learnt while I've been away.''
