Hurricanes halfback Chris Smylie will be coming back to where it all started.
Smylie, who turns 32 tomorrow, began his first-class career for Otago and first played Super rugby in 2006 for the Highlanders.
Now into his ninth season at this level, with his third franchise, the Maori All Black admits a dogged attitude has kept him in the Super 15 picture.
''There has always been a telephone call coming. Sometimes I would go into the ITM Cup and not have a contract for the next year,'' he said.
''But I've always persevered. I've never been a quitter. I think that is part of my personality. It is something I have been trying to instil into my kids.
"Never give up. Always give your best. First I got cut from the Highlanders, then went to the Blues and now I'm at the Hurricanes.''
Smylie first exploded on to the scene in 2005, when he played a starring role as Otago got on a run to the national provincial championship final.
He had played for Otago B the year before and then played every game for Otago in 2005.
''That seems quite a while ago now. We had a lot of senior players in the team then, guys like Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman, Josh Blackie, Craig Newby. They really helped me out.
''But they improved my leadership. They expected their halfback to say stuff and so I had to do that.''
Smylie has played 61 games of Super rugby, and is not looking at slowing down. A season or two overseas to finish his career was not on the agenda, he said.
''It is actually really hard to get overseas if you are a nine. If you play for someone like Samoa and become an international then there is more of a chance.
"But if not, it is pretty hard to pick up something. So I have just stuck with it here and hung around trying to play Super rugby.''
Smylie, who has two sons and a third child due to arrive mid-year, got a start last week for the Hurricanes in the big win against the Cheetahs.
Chris King and Willie Ripia are the only current Highlanders who were in the team when Smylie played for the southern franchise in 2006.
