The Highlanders will play their first game tonight in what is their 21st season. Today, the Otago Daily Times names the winner of its dream team competition and rugby writer Steve Hepburn outlines how it came to settle on its starting XV.
With his ginger hair and his athletic ability, James Ryan in his rugby career was like a shooting star which dashed across the sky.
It was spectacular and made an impact.
But it did not last long.
Ryan played only 25 games for the Highlanders before he gave the game away at the end of the 2007 season.
But his inclusion in the Highlanders dream XV was what threw many of the armchair selectors.
Many went for Tom Donnelly.
One of the best lineout forwards the franchise has ever had, Donnelly was seen by most as the man to partner Simon Maling in the second row.
But former Otago Daily Times' rugby writers Brent Edwards, Hayden Meikle and current writer Steve Hepburn combined to put Ryan in the starting XV.
His time in the Highlanders jersey was short but he made an impact and was a class player.
He exploded on the scene in 2005 and made his All Black debut in June that year.
But injuries and a waning interest led to Ryan taking a break from the game in 2008 and he never returned.
Ryan, who is only 33 - younger than current Highlanders lock Alex Ainley - is now in London, working as an account manager for a major food production corporation.
The other issue centred on the loose forward trio.
Plenty of punters went for the rampaging No 8 Isitolo Maka or the hard-working Nasi Manu.
Fine players though they both were, it was too hard to go past Taine Randell, Josh Kronfeld and Adam Thomson.
This trio were perhaps not the biggest or the most physical but Super rugby is a level below international play and is more open.
Randell, Thomson and Kronfeld would make an electric set of loose forwards.
It is a sign of the standard of the loose forwards that players such as Josh Blackie, Craig Newby or Alando Soakai never got a mention.
In the backs it was more straightforward. Ben Smith and Jeff Wilson were automatic selections, Smith being picked by most as the fullback.
Malakai Fekitoa and John Leslie formed the midfield, and Tony Brown with Aaron Smith formed the inside-back combination.
All 15 of the starting side are internationals, although Leslie played for Scotland.
The lucky winner of the dream XV competition was Alexandra man Dean Willson.
Willson, a prop for the Matakanui Combined side, said he found it hard to pick his loose forward trio but sought some advice from mates and came up with the correct lineup.
A lifelong Highlanders fan, Willson (24) did not pick James Ryan, going instead for Donnelly, meaning nobody picked the entire XV.
Willson wins a Highlanders jersey and tickets to a Highlanders game.
Highlanders Dream XV
15 BEN SMITH
2009-
Appearances: 105
A surprise pick in 2009 but has never looked back. Went to fullback in 2011 and now the best in the world in the position.
14 JEFF WILSON
1996-2002
Appearances: 72
Had the ability to make something out of nothing. A complete professional who scored 35 tries for the franchise, the most of any player.
13 MALAKAI FEKITOA
2014-
Appearances: 34
The 31st and last player picked for the Highlanders in 2014; six months later he was in the All Blacks. A bruising defender who runs hard with the ball.
12 JOHN LESLIE
1996-98
Appearances: 32
The first captain of the Highlanders, Leslie was a dependable player who never seemed to miss a tackle and made the advantage line with the ball in hand.
11 WAISAKE NAHOLO
2015-
Appearances: 18
Could a player have made a bigger impact in one season than Naholo did last year? Very quick and a real nose for the tryline. Broke the Highlanders season try-scoring record last year with 13 tries.
10 TONY BROWN
1996-2004, 2011
Appearances: 91
The man from South Otago was a favourite of many. Great defender and always made the correct option in attack. Reliable goal kicker.
9 AARON SMITH
2011-
Appearances: 78
Pocket rocket who has moved from a promising youngster to the best in the world. Has any Highlander played better than he did against the Chiefs in the playoffs last year?
8 TAINE RANDELL
1996-2003
Appearances: 77
Could play all three positions but No 8 was where he led the Highlanders. Very consistent player who never lost the ball in contact.
7 JOSH KRONFELD
1996-2000
Appearances: 42
A real flyer on the side of the scrum who turned up all over the park. A cult figure in his day and backed it up with some great play.
6 ADAM THOMSON
2006-2012
Appearances: 67
Started out slow but had a break-out year in 2008, which led to an All Black jersey. Was ideally suited to Super rugby with his athletic ability and speed.
5 SIMON MALING
1997-2004
Appearances: 66
Quietly came into the side and then blossomed into a major lineout forward. Became the money man for the side and won his way into an All Black jersey.
4 JAMES RYAN
2005-07
Appearances: 25
A very short career but made a big impact. An athletic and driven player who won an All Black jersey in his first year. Career was over by the time he was 25.
3 CARL HAYMAN
1999-2007
Appearances: 81
A rock on the tighthead side who could have played 150 games plus for the Highlanders if he had stayed. Went on to win glory in Europe.
2 ANTON OLIVER
1996-2007
Appearances: 127
The man who has played the most games for the Highlanders and was a rock for the side for more than 10 years. Had the odd injury but valuable round the field and strong in the scrum
1 CARL HOEFT
1997-2005
Appearances: 98
Came down from Thames Valley and was an almost ever-present for the next nine seasons. An exceptional scrummager who should have played more than 30 tests.
RESERVES
Jason Rutledge, Kees Meeuws, Tom Donnelly, Nasi Manu, Byron Kelleher, Nick Evans, Brendan Laney.
