Liam Coltman - pig hunter, tough bloke, man of few words, big crazy beard. Front-rower, for sure.
Coltman is indeed a man of the engine room, now a hooker after starting off as a prop.
The 22-year-old is into his third season with Otago and is starting to make some serious inroads into the domestic scene.
This year, initially, had been a case of one step forward and then two back.
Named in the Highlanders wider training squad for the second year in a row, Coltman played one game for the Highlanders development team but was then laid low by a nasty neck injury.
Playing in a pre-season game for his Alhambra-Union club, Coltman made a tackle but then found he was losing strength in his arm and his neck was sore.
He got a medial opinion and was found to have a bulging disc in his neck. That led to complete rest for the next three months.
What does any front-rower do when he has a bit of spare time?
Go pig hunting, of course.
"I was walking round all the hills around Palmerston and Dunedin, just me and my mate, having a good time," Coltman said.
"We managed to get a couple of pigs. One of them was a 132-pounder [60kg]. He carried it out, not me."
Time away from the paddock did him, and his neck, no end of good.
If it did not get better, he was facing an operation. But the rest did the job and he was back turning out for his club before the end of the season.
"The surgeon gave me an all-clear and though I don't quite have the strength in my arm as I did, everything feels good."
Coltman, who hails from Taranaki and is slowly working his way through a physical educatioon degree, had a stand-out game for Otago in its 15-10 win over Southland in Invercargill. His ability to take the ball up and make some big hits on defence helped the Otago cause.
"It was a great team effort from all the guys. Everyone is good mates within the team and wants to play for each other.
"Counties-Manukau is a really big game for us up there. But we just have to play as a team and do what we did last week. It is going to be a very physical game."
Coltman is on the bench tonight, with Sam Anderson-Heather getting the start at hooker.
And what is the go with that beard?
"I haven't had a shave since March. Just don't like shaving. Never liked it. It got itchy for the first couple of weeks but it's fine now."
Counties-Manukau will present a tough task for Otago although the Steelers have lost a couple of key players through injury.
No 8 Fritz Lee broke his arm last week and is out for the season, while forwards Ronald Raaymakers (hamstring), Mahonri Schwalger (knee) and D J Forbes (eye) are also unavailable.
Otago has to start well and not give Counties-Manukau room to move. Much will depend on its tight five and loose forwards slowing down any ball for the home side.
The match will be refereed by Japanese official Akihisa Aso, who officiated in a Heartland Championship match earlier this month.
Otago v Counties-Manukau
Pukekohe, tonight, 7.35pm
Referee: Akihisa Aso (Japan).
TAB odds: Counties-Manukau $1.33, Otago $3.10.
Otago: Tony Ensor, Marshall Suckling, Jayden Spence, Glenn Dickson, Buxton Popoali'i, Hayden Parker, Fumiaka Tanaka, Paul Grant (captain), Lee Allan, TJ Ioane, Rob Verbakel, Tom Franklin, Tama Tuirirangi, Sam Anderson-Heather, Scott Manson. Reserves: Shota Horie, Liam Coltman, Adam Hill, Gareth Evans, Brad Weber, Peter Breen, Michael Collins.
Counties-Manukau: Tim Nanai-Williams, Frank Halai, Rey Lee-Lo, Bundee Aki, Sherwin Stowers, Baden Kerr, Dave Bason, Adam Cathcart, Mark Selwyn, Jimmy Tupou, Daniel Adongo, Jamie Chipman (captain), Matt Talaese, Suliasi Taufalele, Simon Lemalu. Reserves: Mark Price, Maka Tatafu, Sikeli Nabou, Maama Vaipulu, August Pulu, Ray Laulala, Tony Pulu.
ITM Cup
The draw
Bay of Plenty v Auckland
• Rotorua, Friday, 6.05pm
Counties-Manukau v Otago
• Pukekohe, Friday, 8.05pm
Taranaki v Canterbury
• New Plymouth, Saturday, 2.35pm
Wellington v Waikato
• Wellington, Saturday, 4.35pm
Tasman v Northland
• Blenheim, Sunday, 2.35pm
Southland v Hawkes Bay
• Invercargill, Sunday, 4.35pm
Otago v North Harbour
• Dunedin, Tuesday, 7.35pm
Auckland v Taranaki
• Auckland, Wednesday, 7.35pm
Manawatu v Counties-Manukau
• Palmerston North, Thursday, 7.35pm
