It was a proud moment for Rutledge (34) when he was named captain for the interisland game at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
"It's a pretty awesome thing to say that I've done it," he said.
"Dad [former All Black Leicester] talks fondly about the games and it is great to be part of it. In his day it was an All Black trial."
Rutledge is confident his South Island team can reverse the trend and beat the North Island on Sunday.
"We had a good yarn to the Crusaders at the weekend and they are excited about the game," Rutledge said.
The interisland match comes during a break in the Super 15 programme when some players are looking forward to resting their bruised and battered bodies.
But this is not the case for Rutledge.
"I look forward to playing rugby. It is the best way to keep fit," he said.
The last interisland game was played at Carisbrook in 1995.
It is a good game for players on the fringe of All Black selection to to make their case to the All Black selectors, and for others to push for a regular starting spot in Super 15.
Rutledge has shared the hooker's spot in the Highlanders this year with All Black Andrew Hore.
"I'm pretty happy," he said.
"I'm getting between 20 and 40 minutes most weeks. I've got no niggles so that's good.
"I'd love to be back with the Highlanders next year.
"But I've got nothing on the table at the moment."
Rutledge was a member of a tired-looking Southland team that lost its place in the premiership division of the ITM Cup last year.
"It was all guns blazing because we played three games a week.
"We worked hard to retain the shield when we won it off Canterbury but the wheels fell off when we lost it."
His goal this year is to get Southland back into the premiership division of the ITM Cup.
"Its been a long time since a Southland team has made the final and we would like to have a crack at that."
It will be special for Kendrick Lynn (29) because he has not had much rugby during the Super 15 campaign because of a neck injury.
"My body feels good and I'm refreshed," he said.
"I'm rapt to be involved in something like this. It's a good chance to get out there and play some flashing footie."
Lynn fractured his C 7 disc in a pre-season game against the Crusaders in February.
"I've done plenty of neck strengthening and the recovery has gone well and its completely healed," he said.
"It took me a little bit of time to get my confidence back.
"My biggest concern will be the lungs. I haven't played a full 80-minute game for a long time."
He hopes Tony Gilbert can recapture the magic touch he had when he coached Otago to win the NPC in 1998 and took the Highlanders to the 1999 Super 12 final.
"The Highlanders in the late 1990s played an entertaining brand of footie," Lynn said. "I hope Tony's expertise will rub off on to the guys."
He was aged 12 when he watched the 1995 game on television at St Peter's College in Cambridge.
"It could really catch on and became a big game in the future,"he said.
