Otago fullback Ben Smith used to pass the ball to first five-eighth Glenn Dickson.
Now Dickson is the one giving the ball to Smith to score the points.
The two former Kings High School pupils scored all the points for Otago in its Air NZ Cup match against Bay of Plenty at Carisbrook on Saturday night.
Dickson knocked over four penalty goals and two conversions, and helped set up two tries for Smith, who started playing fullback for Otago only this season.
Smith played halfback at school inside Dickson, and he said he was enjoying the fullback role after playing on the wing for the Highlanders this year.
"They are similar sort of roles, as you've got to tackle the wingers and then get everyone organised on the defence," Smith said.
He was warming to the role, and thought things had gone quite well on Saturday night as he brought his try tally to five for the season.
Smith said his brace of tries was nothing special.
"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
It was all through the good work of those inside me."
He said the past week had been tough for the side and there was a sense of relief in the changing room after the game.
"We have been trying hard but it just hasn't quite clicked at times. But everyone was on the same page tonight and it just came together.
"Even at half-time I was quite confident we could still do it. We were playing to our patterns and the chances were appearing."
Smith paid tribute to the Otago forward pack, which gave the backs the opportunities to do the rest.
Smith and fellow Kings old boys Dickson, reserve halfback James Kenny and hooker Jason Macdonald returned to their old school this month to coach some junior players.
Otago coach Steve Martin praised Smith and Dickson, saying the latter had had an outstanding game considering it was only his third starting match for Otago.
He said there was a sense of relief within the team with the win, and no-one had been more disappointed with the loss to Hawkes Bay than the players.
"There was a lot more steel in the team this week.
The boys were really, really disappointed with last week and wanted to come out and show what they're made of," Martin said.
Martin acknowledged the work of veteran second five-eighth Charlie Hore, whose calming influence helped those around him.
Otago deliberately attacked the Bay of Plenty side around the fringes, Martin said, and refrained from rushing up too much in defence, as the visiting side played with plenty of width.
"The pleasing thing was the amount of line breaks we made, and we finished a few of those opportunities we had been creating. That kept the pressure on them.
"In the second half we lifted up the intensity and tore into them."
Martin said he made only one tactical substitution - prop Keith Cameron replacing Ben Nolan with less than two minutes left - as he wanted to show faith with the players out on the field.
He said the last five games of the season were being viewed as a mini-season by the team, with four of those games at home.
Otago plays Taranaki next Saturday night in New Plymouth.
The southern side is now 10th on the table, just one point behind its next opponent.
Otago No 8 Steven Setephano was forced off the field midway through the first half after receiving a blow to a shoulder.
Bay of Plenty assistant coach Steve Miln said his side was slightly off the pace, and that was costly in an even competition.
"A few individuals just did not quite execute the way they should have. We went into the break 17-10 up after scoring a good try and we needed to apply the pressure again. But we did not and Otago were just a lot more desperate," Miln said.
"Individually, there were guys out there that were off the whole game. And in this competition you get found out. Some individuals have to have a hard look at themselves."
